Legacy Left Behind
by Zquare
Summary: A routine mission to an uninhabited planet turns into a search and rescue operation and a first contact turns deadly for two members of the Atlantis expedition. Before SGA season 4, during SG-1 Ark of Truth. *Re-edited.
1. Chapter 1

1The sun filtered through the canopy leaves and tickled Halen's nose. He sneezed and opened his eyes wearily. Startled, he looked around him as he sat up, disoriented. Birds chattered unseen from the tangle of branches high above him, and he frowned. _Where was he?_ Anxiously, he called for his sister, but there was only silence. He stood up and dusted himself off, looking around quickly. The trees were thick around him and the only sounds were of his clothes ruffling and the birds singing.

"Ghaea, where are you? Colonel Sheppard?" he asked worriedly again, taking a few steps around the small clearing.

"…here." He followed her muffled voice and found his sister laying in a clump of bushes, groggily shaking her head and blinking in the light.

"Are you alright?" he asked, pulling her up gently. She nodded and blinked a few times more to get her bearings. Looking around, she frowned. There were no signs of the colonel or of Ronon, and all attempts to hail them over the radio failed.

"Where are we?" she looked questioningly at her brother, who just shook his head and frowned. They had gone through the gate on Serrus, Atlantis-bound, but this was definitely not the island city they remembered, nor was it even the mainland. The sunlight that filtered through the layers of canopy was warm and it illuminated the tiny clearing and surrounding branches in an almost ethereal light. A stargate stood, slanted, precariously between two trees. Very little of the stone altar it rested on was preserved; most had eroded, and a few parts of it had been uprooted by the giant roots of trees. The gate's design was unlike anything they had ever seen. It was a thin, silver-colored metal circle, with no moveable parts, and while a few of the inscribed constellation symbols were familiar, most were foreign, and indistinguishable.

Halen shook his head at his sister's question. "I don't know; there must have been a malfunction in the gate on Serrus." Ghaea looked about the clearing curiously and stretched her arms and legs, satisfied that the soreness faded quickly. Judging from their distance from the gate, she theorized that their exit had been a rough one, and noting the lack of bruises, she knew that they must have slept for several hours – long enough for their bodies to naturally recover and heal from being flung from a stargate. Halen was also walking about the clearing, both to exercise his limbs and to look for the DHD.

"We cannot dial out," he said quietly, as he studied the gate in closer detail. Unlike other gates in the Milky Way or the Pegasus galaxies, this one was immobile – the chevrons merely lit up as dialed and the gate did not spin – and it was not made of naquadah, which was so prevalent among other gates, but of a shimmery, silver-like metal.

"Perhaps it can be controlled remotely," Ghaea offered, remembering that such a thing could be done. Perhaps, her brother conceded, but it did not hearten him. Without an accessible DHD, they could not return by stargate.

"Perhaps," said Halen thoughtfully. Ghaea touched his arm to gain his attention and smiled encouragingly.

"Which way?" she asked him, knowing that the most pressing question was not dialing the gate, but finding out if there were people here, and if so, whether they were willing to help. Halen nodded, and then, suddenly remembering the game they used to play as children, smirked rather arrogantly as he listened intently around him.

"This way," he finally said, turning eastward.

"What happened?" demanded Dr. Elizabeth Weir, looking from the technician at the controls to the stargate.

"There was an energy spike and we lost the connection. We're dialing them back now," Chuck Campbell said quickly, as Weir entered the control room. Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard and Ronon Dex looked up at them from the gate room anxiously. The chevrons lit up one by one, but at the last symbol, the lights on the gate flickered, and shut off.

"We can't get a lock!"

"Wait a minute; there's some sort of interference," Dr. Rodney McKay said suddenly, studying the gate energy monitors. Weir frowned.

"What's causing it?"

"I…I don't know," McKay replied, knitting his brows at the computer screen in confusion. The energy had spiked for an instant and then disappeared. After a moment of shock, Weir ordered the gate to be dialed again. Everyone held their breath, but this time, the connection was established smoothly, without incident. Sheppard instantly radioed for his two missing team members.

The mission had begun no differently than any other. A reconnaissance team had found the remnants of a reasonably advanced civilization on a now-uninhabited planet, and Halen and Ghaea had joined Sheppard's team, temporarily replacing Teyla Emmagan and McKay, who were off-world at the time, to check out the planet in hopes that they may help identify the unfamiliar ruins. They found nothing unusual about the planet, and things had gone just as planned, but just as Sheppard and Ronon appeared from the gate on Atlantis, the wormhole flickered and shut off, to the horror of everyone in the control room.

"Ghaea, Halen, do you copy?" Sheppard called again, waiting impatiently in the silence. He glanced up at Weir with a worried look, but he refused to think that the sudden gate shut-down had killed the two Sanre.

Colonel Jack O'Neill had been introduced to Halen Enori by Thor, aboard the Asgard ship the _Daniel Jackson._ The Stargate Program had known of the Alliance and three of its four central races for years, thanks to the research of Dr. Ernst Littlefield and Dr. Daniel Jackson, but the fourth race, the Furlings, remained a mystery until that day aboard Thor's ship, and the Furlings were given their rightful name in history as the Sanre.

Through their new friendship with the Furlings, the SGC learned that the Alliance had fallen because of an aspiring fifth race – the Teran, who hungered for the knowledge of its elders, but whose ways caused widespread chaos. As mortals incapable of ascension, the Teran hoped to artificially perfect a race that would carry their legacy, but their experiments ended in failure. Entire civilizations – planets – fell to the darkness of humans, who became heedless of their creators, and the Alliance drifted apart as the Ancients fell to conflict against a civilization they had once helped to shelter. The Teran disappeared, believed by most to have escaped to a distant part of the universe, and most of their history was lost.

Sheppard frowned in frustration as he called to Halen and Ghaea again over the radio.

"I'm not picking up any life signs around the gate," McKay said.

"What, you mean they're just gone?" snapped Sheppard. McKay shook his head.

"I don't know, but there's no one at the gate."

"They may have been sent to another planet by a malfunction in the gate," Dr. Radek Zelenka offered, pointing out that an analysis of the gate showed that only two people stepped into the event horizon on Serrus, but he was hesitant and stressed that it was only a theory.

"You said that they were not immediately behind you at the gate? Is it possible something happened before they were able to step through?" Weir asked. Sheppard was thoughtful, but they had encountered no other signs of life, no energy signatures, and no anomalies that could explain this situation.

"Ghaea mentioned something about the metal buildings," Ronan said suddenly, catching everyone's attention. "She said that it looked familiar and that it reminded her of something she had seen before."

"The metal, almost every building was made from it," Sheppard agreed. McKay hummed, thoughtful. "She wanted to bring a piece back for analysis," Sheppard continued, explaining why she and her brother were not immediately behind him and Ronon at the gate and regretting that he didn't stay with the two Sanre until they were ready to step through the gate.

"Is there anything we can do to narrow down their possible location?" Weir asked again, looking over at McKay and Zelenka again, hoping that one of them already had a plan.

"A diagnostic would reveal any malfunctions, and from there, we may be able to extrapolate their location – if in fact they had been sent to another planet," the Czech scientist answered.

"But even if we determine that they were somehow sent to another planet, whatever caused it is outside of the normal parameters. It won't be easy to pinpoint their location." Weir gave him a look, stopping his nervous rambles, and he looked down at the desk momentarily.

"If there is a chance that we'll find them, let's not waste it. Run the tests first," she said firmly, leaving no room for uncertainties.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Halen stopped beside a large rock to rest with his sister, but still could not stop thinking back to the stargate. They had left the forest hours ago and had been running tirelessly over the flat prairielands toward the east.

Halen and his sister had participated in many missions with their friends in the Stargate Program, first as technical advisors, and then, after their graduation from medical academy, as medics. They wore and carried standard SGC uniforms and weapons, but neither had ever used the Earth weapons – or any weapons – for fear of the Affliction, a mysterious, vicious, and terminal illness that spread through the Sanre population during the war against the Wraith millennia ago, caused by the aftereffects of battles and violence.

"Do you think the civilization here will be advanced?" Ghaea asked, leaning down to wash her hands in the river.

"I do not know if there is one," he replied, though not entirely confident, and his sister sensed it. One thing had struck her about the gate. It was not made from naquadah, but rather an oddly familiar, glistening metal, which only came from one place she remembered. Before she could say, however, Halen called her.

"Can you search the river?" Ghaea nodded, and knelt at once to the river side, and hoped the river stretched long and wide. While her brother's sense of direction and planar coordination was far superior to hers, Ghaea had the ability to _search_ – seeing and sensing far away things with the aid of water or the roots of trees – while Halen did not. Dipping her hands into the shallow water near the shore, she quietly gazed into the clear water. Scenes – reflections – of trees, cliffs, and animals appeared, flowing faster and faster past, disappearing finally in the spray of the river again.

"There!" Halen said suddenly, his hand on Ghaea's arm, and immediately everything faded save for the image of a figure on horseback.

"The rider is heading in our direction, only a few miles away," she said quietly, concentrating.

"Come on," Halen said, "if we hurry, we will see them." Nodding, Ghaea followed her brother and he sped off. They moved fast and tirelessly over the grass along the river, their feet barely touching the ground, toward the location of the horse and rider.

Halen stopped suddenly at the edge of a steep cliff, and motioned for his sister to stop as well. Below them flowed a wide river, and beyond that, sandy banks stretched for miles. Halen was the first to spot the person on horseback, riding at incredible speed toward them. Dark characters in billowing black robes charged after it. He pulled his sister down quickly and the two watched, unseen, from behind the rocks and trees. They saw the river suddenly heave with rushing waves, and felt the unmistakable pull of the magic. Halen placed both palms onto the flat rock beneath them, trying to feel for its source.

When the chasers were gone beneath the waves, Ghaea and Halen watched as the stranger rode quickly away, into the woods beyond the river. Ghaea nodded to her brother's decision and followed closely behind as he leapt from tree to tree, rock to rock, to the bottom of the cliff.

The path along the river was dense with foliage, and it seemed that the same magic they had witnessed earlier also was trying to erase the traces of hooves in the road. Sensing no immediate danger, Ghaea relaxed her senses and spoke to her brother.

"I recognized the metal in the stargate; the Teran once mined a metal like that." Halen glanced at his sister sharply and furrowed his brows.

"You think this was a Teran-occupied planet?"

"Perhaps it is still," Ghaea added, as they continued following the tracks. "The metal in the stargate, I think, is the same-" Halen reached for her shoulder suddenly, and she turned to him to see a group of men before them. The creaking of bows pulled taut startled Halen. He held up both hands before him and moved to stand in front of his sister. Behind them, more men emerged from the trees and bushes and surrounded the Sanre warily, bow at the ready. Ghaea, her back to her brother, copied his stance while studying the strange men curiously. Their costumes were simple, in grays and greens, and they seemed human, except for the pointed ears.

Halen and Ghaea were silent as they tried to get their bearings. The leader was both suspicious and curious of the two strangers. Their appearance was unlike any he had ever seen. Their pale skin, dark hair, and clear, dark eyes gave them a most beautiful appearance, and their strange clothing seemed as out of place on them as they seemed out of place in their forest. Their strangest attribute, though, was what seemed like antennae growing from their temples, like the antennae of butterflies.

"Come with us," he said, in his native language, gesturing toward the path behind him, partially hidden with overgrown vines and foliage. Halen and Ghaea, though not understanding the language, understood the gestures and the strangers' feelings, and followed the man slowly. The men urged them ahead into the woods, arrows taut against the bow strings, and after a silent march, Halen and Ghaea were ushered into a small hut built into the side of a tree. Their captors said little, but did not seem hostile. Bread and water were brought to them in the evening, and after spending a rather sleepless night, Ghaea and Halen were finally allowed to leave the shaded hut in the morning, led by three guards.

Being exceptionally quick learners like all Sanre, Halen and Ghaea learned some important facts as they watched their keepers through the night. They called themselves _Edhel_, and their language was almost similar to an ancient Teran dialect still used in some books.

The leader took them down a narrow, winding path, surrounded by trees, and then, suddenly, the path widened to a set stone of stairs, dipping into the valley, and Halen and Ghaea saw a sight that was truly amazing. The stairway descended into a beautiful, luscious valley. Waterfalls rushed in the distance and mountains surrounded a wondrous city before them. The leader glanced at their expressions and smiled in pride.

"It's beautiful," Ghaea breathed, gazing at the flourishing scene, soaking in the sunlight. The architecture of the valley was truly beautiful. Each building was crafted with fine stones and wood, encrusted with marble and precious metals, and decorated with exquisite carvings.

The leader turned back to her, surprised to hear her speak for the first time in a language he understood.

"You speak the language of Men; the Common Language." It was almost an accusation, and she frowned. Halen turned away from the valley.

"Common Language? It is widely used where we come from." The Edhel gave them a look, but said nothing as he led them onward.

"You are to see Lord Elrond." He once again gestured to the path before them. Halen exchanged a look with his sister.

"Lord Elrond?" he asked.

"He is the lord and ruler of Imladris." The leader answered, visibly proud. Halen glanced back at the valley around them as they walked on.

"It is as if…" Halen paused, "almost as if looking at a dream," he finished finally, turning to look at his sister. Ghaea agreed. The scene seemed to have been taken right from a far away dream, or a story of a myth. Neither had much time to dwell on it, however; they were led quickly into a tree-lined, barrel-arched gallery to the study of Lord Elrond.

Elrond was a commanding Edhel, with a stern voice and a determined brow. He stared at them for a long moment, his gaze penetrating. His sentinels had alerted him of intruders yesterday, but still he was taken by surprise when he finally met them. Ghaea, especially, caused him great surprise. It was almost as if...

"Who are you?" he finally asked, collecting himself. The young man spoke first.

"I am Halen, and Ghaea is my sister," he introduced. "We did not mean to trespass, but we were separated from our friends after travelling through the stargate." Elrond did not reply for a long moment, so startled was he to learn of Ghaea's name, but once again, he pushed the thoughts away and said,

"How were you able to find our city?" he asked sternly, discomfited that two strangers had wandered so easily into the hidden woods of Imladris. Halen was surprised.

"We saw a horse ride into the woods, and followed it." Seeing Elrond's disbelieving look, Ghaea said,

"The magic in the river; it was from your people, was it not? The horse and the rider both live here?" Elrond stared. It must be her….

"Lord Elrond, please believe that we have no ill intentions. We were travelling by means of a device called a stargate, but a malfunction caused us to become stranded here," Halen said earnestly.

"What you say may be true, but I cannot allow you to go free. I have never heard of your land or your people. You said that this device, the stargate, is a means of transportation?" Ghaea explained that the stargates were built by a race allied to the Sanre, called the Ancients, and that the stargate they had found in the forests west of Imladris could be used to send them home if they could find a suitable DHD. Elrond seemed skeptical. Their story was truly amazing, and he knew not how to react to it. What's more, _Ghaea_ was before him. The resemblance in appearance and in history was beyond a doubt, but how could that be?

"Then please, help us, Lord Elrond," Ghaea said finally; and then, remembering Serrus, she continued with conviction, "There is a story among our people of a race of humans – the Teran – who escaped a war in their home world and traveled to a new world far away.

The Teran civilization is only a myth us – to the younger generation of Sanre – but history still remembers them, and their advanced ways. If you can help us find them, then we can return home," Ghaea entreated Elrond. The Edhel still did not know how they got here, or where their home was, but he knew they were in earnest.

"You are welcome to stay in Imladris, but you will be attended to closely. I know not of this race – Teran – that you speak of, but I will do my best to help you," he said finally.

After the two were led away from his study, Elrond sat down to think. Their sudden appearance perplexed him, but also filled him with a kind of urgent excitement. Was this a sign of the Valar? Was Ghaea a sign? Elrond frowned as he moved to the windows to watch the two siblings walk away on the stone path below. He must solve this mystery, but for the moment, there were more pressing matters at hand.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Imladris was a beautiful city, but Halen and Ghaea wished with each passing day that they were in their own beloved home. The Edhel – the _first-born_, as they called themselves – were courteous, but it was no secret that they did not trust them. Halen and Ghaea explored the city cautiously and visited Lord Elrond's library in hopes of finding a clue to the Teran, but found very little save for the resemblance of the city to the children's stories they had heard at home.

They quickly overcame the learning curve for the difficult Elves' language, Sindarin, and though they learned many important things about the history of the Elves, there was nothing about the Teran, beyond the similarity of language.

"Sindarin is similar to ancient Teran, but it must have changed over many years. Perhaps the Teran really is an extinct race," Halen said quietly, replacing another book onto the shelf. Ghaea looked up at him from the table where she sat and was about to reply when a voice called to them.

"So you are the strangers that followed my horse to the city." Halen and Ghaea turned to see a young woman at the door and behind her stood a taller, male Elf.

"We are," Ghaea replied, closing the book. Behind her, Halen also walked forward to greet the newcomer. The woman, Arwen, gave them a small smile and introduced her brother, Elrohir, who simply nodded. Elrohir swept his gaze over Halen to Ghaea, upon who his gaze remained in shock. Arwen's stare was much less intrusive, but Ghaea knew that her presence caused uneasiness with many Elves, though she did not know why.

"I hear that you are looking for texts about the races that inhabit our world?" asked Arwen, stepping forward.

"We are looking for a race called the Teran, who may have the means to help us return home through the stargate," explained Halen. Arwen exchanged a glance with her brother.

"And where is your home? The spies of Sauron are many and they weave lies," the taller Elf countered in a challenging tone. Halen raised his eyebrows and then frowned in thought.

"Lord Elrond told us of this Sauron, but we are not spies," he said with finality. The tense moment seemed to pass as Elrohir softened his expression. Despite himself, Elrohir's doubts subsided somewhat, and he was genuinely curious about the two strangers. Arwen voiced her questions with less hesitation, for her intuition told her that the two people before her were not to be feared. She offered her help in their search, made quick friends of both siblings, and soon witnessed such alien technology and magic to make her head spin with wonder.

"Halen, look at this," Ghaea called, as her brother emerged from another row of bookshelves. Arwen, who was sitting at the table by the window, looked up as well.

"What is it?" He asked, making his way toward his sister.

"It's written here that the city of Imladris was built to celebrate the coming of a _Fuhring_ to the new world. In the years following, the _Valar_ left the land in ships with golden sails," Ghaea read, pausing over the strange words. She looked up at her brother, but Halen shook his head as he looked over the text.

"_Fuhring_…does it say who he – or she – was?" Ghaea scanned the text and turned a page to reveal an ink portrait of a man with the inscription 'and there forevermore will stand Tolken-'

"-whom lights the path to Valinor," Arwen finished, speaking up. Halen looked past his sister to the Elf woman. "When the Elves sail west to join the Valar, the great statue of Tolken in the western sea guides our boats," she explained. Surprised, Ghaea pointed back to the picture. The man in the book was none other than Tolkien, an Ancient well-known for his sympathies to the Teran's wishes for ascension. History even attributed a small cult following of Teran to him and his work in helping the fifth race to ascend. Tolkien disappeared after the war and though the Ancients searched for him before abandoning Earth, he was never found.

"Where is he now?" Halen asked, but his hopes were quickly quashed upon Arwen's reply that Tolkien passed away in Arda many years ago.

"Arda? Is that the name of this planet?" Ghaea asked, glancing at the small globe that turned lazily in mid-air, projected from the small, Sanre hand-held life-signs tracking device. They had discovered many maps in Elrond's library which Arwen told them were renderings of the land, and Halen had scanned them all into the small computer. Ghaea had then filled in what she had seen from the river, and though the small globe still had many empty regions, the areas of and around Imladris was coming to life.

"Arda is the land and the sky; it is everything that the Valar created," she replied, and then, seeing the curious looks on her friends' faces, Arwen continued, "The Valar created this world, and then awakened the first-born, the Edhel, to be their children. We are the true legacy of the Valar, and within us we carry their light." Arwen's explanation illuminated not only the history of the Edhel, but also opened the door for the possibility that the Valar and the Teran were one and the same. How else could the Valar know – and welcome – an Ancient such as Tolkien; and why would the Valar use words like _Fuhring_, with such resemblance to the Sanre language, if they did not have previous contact with their race?

Arwen left them in the late afternoon, with a reminder that dinner would be served soon, and Halen and Ghaea were left alone in the vast library to contemplate the identity of the god-like race Arwen told them of, whom all Edhel worship.

"If the Valar are the Teran, then it would certainly be fitting, for the Teran had always wanted to be worshiped like gods by their creations," Ghaea commented, putting the books away. Halen agreed with an exasperated roll of his eyes.

"The building of Imladris seems consistent with our history as well," he added, becoming serious again, looking at the records listed in a large, imposing book. Looking up at his sister, he thoughtfully recited facts about Teran history that every Sanre school-child knew by rote. "The Teran left after the war, in 17545 ZE, and the Ancients left Earth by 17789.

"The reunification with the Lenteri was in 19265 and the calendar was reset in that year. It's now 10216 SE," he said slowly, calculating the dates in his head, "which means that Tolkien had to have lived here for at least half of the 10,000 or so years for the people here to know of him, given the life spans of the Edhel. If theseValar," Halen continued with hesitation, "did leave Imladris for a new home, we must try to find them and learn the truth. The Edhel do not possess the technology we require to return home." Ghaea knew her brother was right, and that if the Teran - or Valar - were still alive, finding them should be a priority, but for now, something below the library balcony caught her eye: riders entering the courtyard.

"Didn't mean to disturb you, lord Elf," said a nervous voice as Halen turned at the rustling of the brushes behind him in the garden of Elrond. Samwise Gamgee started upon realizing that Halen was not an Elf, but the Sanre quickly put him at ease.

"I understand that you are from a place called Shire," said Halen, curious of the Hobbits, for they resembled the Sanre in nature – inquisitive, eager, and open, but quite content to stay always at home. Sam nodded and relaxed, for the Shire was a topic on which he could talk with ease and happiness. When Ghaea came for her brother and hour later, Halen and Sam were on the way to becoming friends. Sam soon left them alone to seek Frodo Baggins, and Ghaea told Halen of her own strange meeting with Legolas, son of the Elf King Thranduil. Arwen had tentatively introduced the Sanre to Legolas, whose initial ecstatic greeting soon gave way to astonishment at learning that though identical in all aspects, the Ghaea that stood before him was not the Ghaea he knew.


	4. Chapter 4

4

Atlantis awoke this morning like any other day. The sun glistened over the distant horizon, warming the deep waters and the wet, sea air. Inside the Ancient city, many people were waking up, but others had yet to go to sleep. McKay slumped down further in the chair in front of the table, and his computer. Massaging his eyes with one hand, his other reached precariously over for the already-cold coffee. Mournful for a moment as he glared at the half-empty cup, he stood up to go to the cafeteria for more.

It had been a week since Halen and Ghaea went missing and hardly anyone in the science department has rested, least of all him. They had already run countless tests and narrowed the number of planets down significantly, but still, teams that were sent to explore those possible planets had all come back with nothing so far. No one had suggested they stop their search, but he knew many were thinking back to the time when Lieutenant Ford went missing. Closing the lid of his laptop, McKay pushed the niggling thought out of his mind and trudged out of the room with his tablet computer in hand.

A few hallways away in the gym, Teyla and Ronon were more active. They had been practicing and sparring, and while their agility and skill were engaging to watch, neither was winning, and neither was concentrating on the fight. After a moment of holding a stalemate, they released each other simultaneously and Teyla turned quickly to get her things together to leave.

"We'll find them," Ronon mumbled, letting his words hang in the air. He put away the sticks and stood awkwardly by his friend. Teyla took a moment to compose herself and then turned to Ronon.

"Yes, we will."

Weir sighed as she left the control room after speaking with General Landry again. Despite her repeated efforts to hasten the _Daedalus'_ return to Atlantis, it seemed that the city would be on their own for a while. With the growing problem of the Ori in the Milky Way galaxy, Earth's resources were just stretched too thin, but Landry, also worried for the two missing Sanre, promised that the Daedalus would be on its way before too long.

"Good morning, Elizabeth," Sheppard greeted, his usual energy somewhat diminished.

"Good morning, John." He wanted to know when the _Daedalus_ would arrive, she supposed, and the hardest part of her job was telling people what they wanted to know…or what they didn't want to know. Sheppard though, hadn't stopped her to ask about the _Daedalus_.

"I just saw Rodney head to the mess and he says that he found something interesting in the database yesterday." Weir looked interested, but then sighed and sat down at her desk. It had been a week already, with no signs or new developments, and she didn't know if McKay's "something interesting" would cheer them up. She must have said it aloud unconsciously, for Sheppard leaned forward and reassured her.

"They're okay; we'll find 'em. Sanre are a hardy race." Weir smiled despite herself. "And anyway, I'd be more worried in having to actually tell the Sanre ruling council that-"

"Tell the council what?" McKay asked, striding into the office quickly. Sheppard gave him a withering look.

"-that Halen and Ghaea are actually missing." Weir rolled her eyes a bit at the colonel, though she agreed that that particular conversation with the council was not something she looked forward to. She only hoped it would not come to that.

"What is it Rodney? John told me you've found something in the database?"

"Ah!" McKay smiled and snapped his fingers. Looking through the database star maps, he had discovered that Serrus, the planet from which the siblings disappeared, was the only planet logged by the Ancients in a large area of the galaxy.

"Meaning?" McKay rolled his eyes at Sheppard.

"Meaning, that when I took a good look at that quadrant of space, there was nothing around it, not even rocks. It's like a bowl of milk with one cheerio in the center." He chuckled to himself at the clever use of an analogy. Weir frowned and looked at McKay.

"And you think this has something to do with Halen and Ghaea's disappearance?" she asked carefully.

"Well, I don't know…. I suppose it's just a coincidence; I just thought it was interesting," McKay admitted, looking uncomfortable. It had made much more sense last night. Sheppard frowned.

"What's interesting is a way to find them."

"Look, there's got to be more than just mere chance that planet is so isolated, and if there is something weird going on there, it might give us a hint to where those two went." Rodney was a genius, Sheppard knew that much, and for the first time in a week, he felt hopeful that this "something interesting" of Rodney's could well lead to a breakthrough. Weir nodded as well. Though McKay had not given her a strong case, she knew it was merely the fatigue that had the normally sharp head of science so ill-prepared, and she was willing to take whatever hope they had.

"Colonel Sheppard, your team will have a mandatory R&R and then you have a go," Weir said.

"Give us one hour," Sheppard replied, but Weir was adamant. As much as she wanted to find Ghaea and Halen, sacrificing the well-being of the people of the city was something she would never do.

"You and your team have done more than your share working on this. That wasn't a suggestion," she said. McKay looked as if he wanted to argue, but one look from Weir told him that she was right. Sheppard, though a man of action, conceded to Weir. The rescue mission required all of them to be at their best.


	5. Chapter 5

5

Serrus was just as they remembered it – eerily quiet. There were no animals rustling in the brush, and no birds chattering in the trees. Sheppard looked around at the familiar ruins of the city, and couldn't help but remember the last time he was here. McKay gave him a fleeting look and quickly got to work scanning the area with an energy detector. Teyla frowned as she looked around. It was the first time she – or McKay – had seen this planet, but already in her mind, it was associated with sadness. The quiet also unnerved her – the absence of any sounds at all filled her with uneasiness and fear.

"This way," McKay suddenly called, staring intently toward the south. Teyla hastened to catch up with the scientist and Sheppard and Ronon fell into step behind them. It was a big city, but everything looked the same – made of the same materials, and similarly dilapidated with age. On the outskirts, the scenery was completely different. Where the city had looked almost like a futuristic version of New York, outside the city limits, grass and trees grew everywhere, and the landscape was quickly on its way to a full-blown forest, creeping bit by bit into the city, ripping up pavement as it grew.

"I need some help over here," McKay called, pulling at the leaves vines around a tree. Ronon jogged over and the task was complete in no time at all. The four of them stepped back to stare at their discovery.

"What is it?" Sheppard asked, glancing over at McKay, whose eyes were still darting back and forth from various points on the thing. It was definitely not a tree.

"I don't know…." He trailed off and walked in a circle around it, trying to get a better look. The tall, black, obelisk stood at least six feet from the ground in a slanted fashion, as the tree roots around it pushed it from its intended position. McKay took off his backpack and got to work immediately, quickly becoming oblivious to all calls from Sheppard and his team mates, and Sheppard, seeing McKay's excitement, left him alone. Leaving Teyla to watch over the busy physicist, he and Ronon walked back to explore the city.

Two hours later, Teyla shifted from her sitting position on a fallen log as the radio crackled to life.

"How're you doing over there?" A glance toward the scientist showed that he was still engrossed in the wirings of the device, which he had finally managed to open, after much grumbling about its inefficient design.

"We are fine; Dr. McKay is still at work on the device."

"Well, we're heading back; there's nothing to see here. See you in a few minutes; Sheppard out." Teyla nodded to herself. She wasn't sure what McKay had done, but by the time Sheppard and Ronon returned, the Canadian was able to explain what the device was. Sort of.

"It's a remote dialer, I think." Sheppard glanced at the obelisk in the ground.

"You think?" he asked.

"Okay, I know. It's not Ancient design, and it's not working, that's for sure, but it _should _work like a DHD, just from far away." The design of the obelisk got everyone's attention. The Ancients had invented stargate technology as well set up the network of addresses across the universe, but McKay's theory opened the door to possibilities that the Ancients may not have been the only race to contribute to the gate network! The SGC had always known that there were advanced races, but the stargates had always been attributed to the Ancients.

"Not only that," McKay continued excitedly, "but this planet seems to be surrounded by a jamming field similar to the shield on M7G-677."

"That planet with the kids?" Sheppard asked. Nodding, the physicist continued telling his team just how great this discovery was, though he was still unsure if the jamming field was generated by the obelisk, for it didn't seem to be emitting any electromagnetic energy. McKay soon went back to studying the device and Sheppard went back to the gate to tell Atlantis the news. A remote dialer. Sheppard shook his head as he dialed the gate. What else would they discover? The gate activated after a delay, but Sheppard gave it no notice as Weir's voice greeted him.

"What the…." McKay looked at the tablet computer in confusion. The mass of tiny crystals in the obelisk's core flickered and lit up briefly.

"What's wrong?" Teyla asked standing up immediately. McKay shook his head.

"I don't know; it just-" he didn't finish his sentence, for, at that moment, there was a whirring sound followed by a loud crackle and a bright flash of light. Teyla, momentarily stunned, stumbled back. McKay's yell brought her back to her senses, and she ran to him. The obelisk and the open panels around it were still smoking and flickering. McKay lay on the ground, favoring his arm, and Teyla could see that the skin was burnt and raw as she helped to prop him up.

Weir was happy that they had made some progress and was just about to tell them that the _Daedalus_ was finally on its way when the gate chevrons flashed and the radio went silent.

"What happened?" She turned back to the technicians, but no one had an answer.

"I don't know; everything is working fine, but we've lost communications. We're still connected to the planet it seems," a technician replied. Chuck shook his head at Weir. There seemed to be nothing wrong with the gate.

"Can you fix it?"

"Already trying," he replied, shutting down the gate and readying to redial.

"Hello? Atlantis, this is Sheppard, come in. Elizabeth?" The radios remained silent, and after a few moments, the gate shut off.

"What happened?" Ronon grunted.

"I don't know; McKay?" he called over the radio; if anyone would know, it would be McKay.

"Colonel, Rodney is injured!" Teyla's hurried voice broke the silence, and both men ran back toward the outskirts of town.

"What happened?" Sheppard called to the two huddled under a tree. McKay's injured arm was roughly bandaged and Teyla was rummaging through the field kit for more first aid supplies. Grimacing, McKay told him that the obelisk had lit up for a moment and then seemed to be dialing before shorting out completely. The power surge had travelled through the crystals of the device, through the wires McKay had connected to his laptop, and electrocuted him. Sheppard eyed the black device momentarily.

"I thought you said it wasn't working," he recalled.

"It wasn't! I don't know why it suddenly decided to work!" McKay countered, frustration and pain causing him to be harsher with his words than he intended. Sheppard sighed and was thoughtful for a moment.

"Alright, pack it up; we're going back," he said, picking up the blackened laptop and stuffing it back into McKay's backpack. McKay resisted despite his injured arm. The obelisk needed to be studied, he argued, to determine why it suddenly powered up, and he wanted to do that quickly.

"You can do that with that arm?" Ronon asked pointedly, and McKay looked affronted, unwilling to admit that Ronon was right.

"Ronon is right," Teyla said for him, "we should go back to Atlantis."

"That thing's not going anywhere," Sheppard said quickly, before McKay could argue again, "we'll send another team – or come back later – to look at it." McKay couldn't argue with reason, and he finally followed his team mates back to the gate. But things were determined to be against them.

"Damn it," Sheppard muttered, turning back to his team, who looked at him expectantly.

"What is wrong?" Teyla asked. McKay stood up and went to Sheppard.

"We have a problem," replied their leader, frowning at the stargate.

"Well don't just stand there," McKay ordered, "open the panel!" Sheppard gave his friend's arm a careful look before doing his bidding. As McKay only worked with one arm, Sheppard did all the odd jobs on the side, but even with him helping, it took quite a while with McKay's injury, and in the end, the physicist declared that even he did not know what was wrong. The DHD could dial, but the gate refused to activate, and they were stranded.


	6. Chapter 6

6

Halen was becoming more and more impatient in Imladris. They had been in the Elves' city for three weeks now, and the possibility of returning home was becoming slimmer. Lord Elrond did not confine them to any one part of the city, but Halen and his sister spent most of their time between the hut where they slept at night, and the library, not wanting to draw any more suspicious glances from the Elves. Today though, Halen was more frustrated than ever. Closing another book with a slam, he stood up and brooded at the window.

They had nowhere to go. Arwen and her brothers had insisted that they could not go Valinor, as it was a place reserved only for Elves. They could not go anywhere, for their planet, Arda, was so vast, and neither he nor his sister knew where to find the Teran.

"Halen, you are unwell?" He had been so preoccupied that he did not sense Lord Elrond enter. Halen turned to face the Elf and Ghaea stood up as well.

"I'm fine, thank you," Halen managed to say, slowly calming down. Elrond nodded hesitantly, and said he was glad of that. In truth, he did not come to inquire after their health.

"No," Ghaea said immediately, loudly, her voice cutting in the silence. She was not so preoccupied as her brother, and what she saw in the mind of Elrond terrified her. Elrond shook his head, not used to their ability of being able to see his thoughts.

"The fellowship has been gone for nearly 10 days," Elrond said, but he knew that the Sanre must already know, for he had seen Ghaea speaking with Legolas after the council. Arwen had told Ghaea of the council and had taken the Sanre to meet Legolas, who was so in shock that it took him several minutes to recover.

Elrond knew of only one way to enter Arda, and that was through the will of the Valar, and while Halen and Ghaea had seemingly stumbled haphazardly into their world, he felt that the Valar somehow had to have known of it – and willed it – to happen. What's more, these strangers were not ordinary people. They had eyesight and senses to rival any Elf, and could manipulate almost anything using a "borrowing" technique Elrond had never seen before. The guards had seen them light candles without fire, stop arrows with a wave of a hand, and Elrond himself had experienced their mind-reading abilities. Surely no enemy would be too great for—

"No," Halen repeated adamantly. Elrond was about to counter his reaction, but Ghaea spoke quickly, her expression softening upon learning his reasons.

"Lord Elrond, we are a peaceful race, and fighting would bring us inescapable pain," she said in earnest.

"You have not encountered an evil as dark as this; surely you know what a heroic cause the quest is!" Elrond entreated, hoping to appeal to her compassion, but Ghaea did not need to be reminded. She knew the stakes, remembering a conversation with Arwen two weeks ago, of Aragorn.

"_The Ring and Sauron are dangerous, and our enemies are many. I fear that he will not survive."_

"This is a noble quest," Halen said finally, "but we cannot be involved in affairs of your world. I know you must be frustrated." Elrond frowned. He was, but he remained silent, wanting to know once and for all why the Sanre were so repelled by the very thought of violence. Elves preferred peace as well, but battle, when the need arose, was a place where Elves gained glory. Halen knew that Elrond would not understand their fears. The Elves were immortal above all things but in battle, where death came swiftly, heroically, but death would be instantaneous compared to the pain of the Affliction. The wars with the Ancients against the Wraith and later the Ori were well documented because they were the only times Sanre fought, and the only time when tens of thousands of Sanre died.

Elrond left finally, still unable to persuade the siblings to join their cause, but he prayed to the Valar that night that the fellowship will prevail.

Halen's bitter mood did not lift as he and Ghaea sat outside their hut that evening, looking out at the darkened city below them in the valley. The Elves believed the Valar to be all-seeing, and if the clues were true and the Valar really were the Teran, then Halen, too, believed that the Valar could see – or even stop – the war everyone seemed to be waiting for.

"Perhaps they have already ascended, and are now bound by laws, as were the Ancients," Ghaea suggested.

"Or they are truly powerless in their ascended form," Halen said solemnly. Ghaea looked to her brother sharply. She knew at once what he had been thinking of. If they could not leave by conventional means, he had thought of ascension to take them away from this planet, but ascension, for Sanre, was an extremely complicated and dangerous choice. Only a handful of Sanre in their long history had ever accomplished it, and even for them, no one knew whether they truly attained a higher plane of being or simply perished.

Halen and Ghaea were up at daybreak the next day but did not go to the library again, partly because their research afforded them little information now, and partly because they feared Lord Elrond would ask again. They escaped Elrond's plea that day, but when Arwen came to see them, Ghaea felt her resolve fade away.

"We can't stay here forever," Ghaea reasoned, looking at Arwen's retreating back, as the Elf made her way back toward the city. Halen started, and admonished his sister.

"There are consequences, Ghaea; our ancestors suffered from them, and we were taught well to stay away from them."

"The Elves are a diminishing race; Imladris is one of their final sanctuaries," she countered. Halen turned away from his sister, but she could guess what was on his mind. Their great-great-grandparents had once called the Teran the fifth race – a race with powerful potential – but now, the humans of Earth hold that title not for their technological advancements, but for their human characteristics; more importantly, their compassion, an emotion the Teran were not known to show.

Helping the people of Arda meant protecting them from Sauron, which will lead inevitably to fighting. While Halen's conscience could not forgive him for refusing Lord Elrond, his terror of the Affliction seemed to be stronger. He knew that Ghaea found it difficult to refuse Arwen. Ghaea was gentler than he in all respects, and it had been her idea to join the Atlantis expedition in the first place.

"The Elves here have a great capacity to love and accept others, even though they resist the latter. If the Teran had been trying to culture their perfect race, they may have well done it," Ghaea said gently. Halen wanted to say that it was not the Elves they should be worried about. It was the humans that they would be saving, for he did not believe the Valar would desert their beloved first-born creations, but he realized that if Sauron should win, their hopes of going home would be completely gone.

"You're right," he said finally, quietly.


	7. Chapter 7

7

The _Daedalus_ cruised smoothly through hyperspace, toward Atlantis finally. Negotiations with several of Earth's former alliances had not gone to Colonel Steven Caldwell's expectations. As he stalked through the halls of the ship toward the bridge, he wondered why he had expectations in the first place. The Ori were very convincing, and he was not surprised to hear that a lot of planets had already fallen under their false promises. The news of the fall of Langara put Caldwell into an even darker mood.

With Atlantis now in sight, he put his unhappiness behind him and opened a channel to the city. Sheppard and his team had been rescued from Serrus by jumper, and McKay had even accidentally discovered the source of the jamming technology, designed to specifically target Wraith ships. Genius! Caldwell wondered if Halen and Ghaea were alright still, but pushed the pessimistic thoughts out of his mind.

Weir met him at the pier and the work began immediately. The _Daedalus'_ journey had taken just under a month, and there was no time to lose. The science team aboard the ship, already briefed by General Landry, was ready to listen to any new information Atlantis had.

"Okay, kids, here's the deal!" McKay began, drawing eye rolls throughout the room. The obelisk they had found on Serrus was indeed a remote dialer, and it did belong to an advanced civilization. The Stargate Program, although having heard of the Teran, had never delved deep into the history of their race, mostly because of the lack of clues and artifacts. They had tried to ask the Sanre about the mysterious fifth race, as the Sanre kept the most complete records compared to its allies, but learned very little besides children's stories and unverifiable documents. Even the Ancients seemed reluctant to offer more information.

"Serrus was settled by the Teran after the Ancients left it," McKay explained, "and there is evidence that the Teran tried to replace many of the Ancients' technologies with their own."

"More like badly taped on," Zelenka added, earning a glance from McKay, exasperated at being interrupted.

"The remote dialer was meant to be used in place of the original DHD, but we couldn't have known that when we went. On top of that, the dialer hasn't been used in years and it took longer for it to take over control of the gate, kind of like a wireless internet connection; the further away you go, the less you maintain it, the slower it gets."

"This remote dialer was eventually able to gain control of the stargate?" Weir summarized. McKay snapped his fingers.

"Yes. Sheppard and Ronon got through fine, but Ghaea and Halen were further behind, and by the time they got to the stargate, the DHD was no longer in control."

"That's why the gate shut down when we radioed Atlantis?" Ronon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly," McKay said. Weir was still unconvinced.

"Why did the gate not divert you to another planet?" Weir asked. Turning to McKay, she added, "As I understand, you did open the control panels, but only to study the device. Everything was intact." McKay nodded.

"Ah, but from what I found, the dialer is almost out of juice, and we don't know if just opening it might have caused the malfunction. For all we know, it may have an anti-tamper program."

"But, but there is a way to find out where they've gone to," Zelenka quickly, getting the meeting back on track.

"Theoretically," put in McKay. Weir looked intently between the two physicists.

"The data from the time we attempted to dial back for Halen and Ghaea showed what appeared to be background interference right before the gate shut off. Well, it's not as random as we thought. It may be a specific energy signature given off by the dialer," McKay explained.

"We may be able to track that signature," Zelenka continued; and then added, "It's all just theory now, but if the dialer cannot establish a stable wormhole with an Ancient stargate, it may be able to do it with a stargate built with Teran technology." All eyes turned to Weir. She didn't like it, but a working theory was better than nothing.

"Well, all we have to do is find a Teran gate." McKay scoffed at Sheppard's proposal.

"'All we have to do?' Obviously you weren't listening when Daniel was here the last time. The Teran moved away during the age of the dinosaurs," the physicist said. Sheppard rolled his eyes.

"I'm not saying find the people, just find out where they used to live. Get a compatible dialer and gate, and we're good. Even if the Sanre don't know where the Teran are now, they must know where they used to be."

"Yeah, but we're the ones who're at fault for their people's disappearance. Do you think they'll help us?" Caldwell asked. The Sanre had always been gracious with their friendship, but Caldwell knew from experience that allies in peace could well become enemies in war. Weir, however, was determined to leave no chance unexplored. She had explained their situation to the president and the queen of the Sanre and the Lenteri, though both had been worried, they still acted graciously. She hoped that they would respond similarly this time.

The delegation of Sanre arrived two days later, and Weir was surprised to see a familiar face among the figures exiting the ship on the East Pier. Daniel had been visiting with Ghaea and Halen's family, who received him with as much curiosity and warmth as he felt for them, when he learned that a delegation would be sent to Atlantis.

"What? They just disappeared?" Daniel folded his arms before him and frowned.

"It's possible they were sent to another planet; we've encountered a similar situation before," McKay explained. Sheppard had little to add, but stressed the importance of finding Halen and Ghaea.

"It is entirely possible they were diverted to another gate within their network; Dr. McKay's theory holds truth," one elderly Sanre man said, nodding.

"But the dialer technology was never perfected prior to the Teran's departure," added another Sanre, "If the wormhole was not stabilized before they entered the event horizon, death would have been instantaneous."

"We've all been working hard to bring them home," Weir said quickly, and with finality. "We've searched numerous possible gates between Serrus and Atlantis, but so far, we've not had any success."

"I was thinking perhaps the gate sent them further away," McKay continued hesitantly. The Sanre's gazes did not seem accusing, but their serene expressions unsettled him. The elderly man spoke up again.

"Many of the scientific documents about these devices were lost after the Teran moved on, but to my understanding, it will only support a long-standing wormhole with a compatible stargate, and Halen and Ghaea were most likely diverted to a planet with such a gate." Of course, thought McKay, why hadn't he thought of that? Though the Sanre were reluctant to go to the old Teran-settled planets, they finally acquiesced to Weir's request. After all, there was where they would most likely to find more Teran technology and more information about where Halen and Ghaea had gone.


	8. Chapter 8

8

The Fellowship was easy to follow, and Halen and Ghaea soon fell into a routine of playing catch-up. Elrond had urgently told them the importance of catching up to the others as soon as possible in order to help the group, and for their own safety. Ghaea had hummed a reply carelessly in Lord Elrond's direction; enough to put his mind at ease, but far from making a commitment. Halen and Ghaea had kept their promise to keep the Fellowship in sight, but stayed far away still, for they did not want any confrontations – from the group, or from Sauron.

As for their safety, Elrond need not have worried. Apart from their homeland, the two Sanre had never encountered a place with so much magic. Halen attributed it mostly to the Elves, but where it came from mattered little. Its abundance allowed them to travel undetected and free in _plane_, magical, invisible, alleyways between "here" and "there."

Elrond appeared to be right about one thing; the Fellowship was being spied upon, but the gray wizard – Gandalf – did not state Sauron as the perpetrator, but another wizard named Saruman. The group altered their paths many times for fear of being discovered, and the first test of the siblings vows to Elrond came as they entered the old mines of the Dwarves silently behind the others. Gimli was most struck by the gruesome changes in his city. His barely contained grief reached a peak as they came to the tomb of his cousin Balin. Everyone was wary as Gandalf searched the ruins for a clue to the destruction. The wizard didn't have to search very long before finding the last words of Balin, written in hasty script, on the blood-spotted parchment of his journal.

The sound of drums echoed in the deep, darkness of the mines, and Legolas took a visible step backward as he heard them. Boromir secured the doorway, and got a glimpse of a troll, lumbering toward their chamber from another tunnel. Ghaea and Halen, who had been standing just outside the doors, hurried inside to stand with the Fellowship when they saw, to their horror, that the Orcs and Goblins were not only tearing up the columns and buildings of the mine, but also the _plane_ as they barreled ahead.

The fight escalated quickly as Goblins, Orcs, and the large Troll burst into the room through the doorway, tearing it to shreds under their feet. Halen and Ghaea watched the battle from a precipice, and Halen knew by the expression on his sister's face that she wanted to help. The Sanre's compassion was perhaps their greatest weakness, and despite their superior technology, the fear of the Affliction kept them from war.

"We can't," he reminded her, but even as he said it, he watched as _plane_ wavered and collapsed in the hallway beyond the room.

"We will not be able to stay here for long. Once _plane_ is gone, they will know we are here." Halen knew she was right.

A yell suddenly caught their attention, and they turned to see Samwise fall at the feet of the Troll. The huge creature raised the massive wooden club over its head and Sam screamed in panic as he tried to scramble away. The club swung down and Sam pushed himself up, closed his eyes, and forced his feet to move under him, but time seemed to stop for a moment, and the club never came. A great, hollow, knocking sounded just above him, and he opened his eyes to see a beautiful, clear, blue umbrella of light above his head. The light emanated from Halen's raised hand, and Sanre crouched beside him under the Troll.

With a frown and a grunt, he pushed her palm upward, and sent the giant creature sprawling across the room. The battle resumed after the brief moment of surprise, and Halen gazed at his sister briefly before turning back to see the last shreds of _plane_ at the doorway disintegrate. When he looked back to Sam, Ghaea was beside him, and she gave him a meaningful look before pushing both him and the Hobbit to safety. Halen and Ghaea concentrated hard on the remaining magic around them and _borrowed_ what they could, sending the Orcs flying back and giving Gandalf time to lead the Fellowship from the room.

The Orcs doubled their numbers and pursued the company tirelessly toward the bridge of Khazad Dum. Legolas' arrows, though true, were no match for the hundreds that came at them from unseen corners of the mine. Halen ran closely behind the Fellowship, so fast that his feet barely touched the ground, frantically trying to borrow what little magic the Orcs had not yet destroyed, and using it to deflect every arrow that rained upon them. He caught his sister's eye as she turned to look at him at the edge of the narrow stone pass, and he felt anger flare inside him. With a great leap, he cleared the gap between the two stone platforms and landed on his feet on the other side with a heavy thud that made the entire column shake. Ghaea barely had time to jump across and follow before the tremble caused the stones she stood on to crumble into the abyss, but Halen seemed oblivious to everything else.

Red flames roared up from the chasm, revealing the hideous creature Gandalf was afraid of meeting - the Balrog. The wizard pushed everyone ahead of him and turned back to face the demon with determination.

"Wizard!" Ghaea cried, trying to warn him of the giant, but the wizard did not seem to hear her. Halen suddenly leapt onto the narrow bridge from a nearby balcony, where he had been fighting off Orcs, and stumbled to his knees, dazed. The Balrog turned to him for an instant, and lunged.

"Halen!" Ghaea pushed both hands out into the air before her, and a brilliant shield of light engulfed both Gandalf and her brother. Furious, the Balrog lunged again, and Ghaea fought to keep up the magic amid the unceasing arrows, the tremors of the ancient stone bridge, and the howling of wind about her as _plane_ disintegrated. Her eyes met Halen's briefly before she was flung back, exhausted and beaten by the force of the Balrog's fury. Gandalf acted in a moment, taking advantage of the creature's loss of focus.

"Gandalf!" the Hobbits yelled, frozen to their spots on the steps leading from the caves. Aragorn pulled them to safety toward the exit of the mines. Aragorn was the last to leave, pulling Frodo with him, and it seemed an eternity to the ring-bearer as the Wizard clung to the edge of the stone bridge before falling into the depths of the fire.

The chill outside air met their faces and dried their tears, but new tears came. Legolas murmured a quiet prayer for the wizard before looking to Aragorn to keep moving. Boromir was reluctant to go on, but Aragorn was firm. If they stayed, the Orcs would pursue them. The fellowship left without a backward glance, and by the time Ghaea and Halen had come out of the caves, they were gone from sight.

"Are you alright?" Ghaea asked, helping her brother along the rocky ground. He collapsed on the ground and nodded presently. The dull pain that had begun in his temples spread across his head, his eyelids were heavy with exhaustion.

"We have to catch up with the others," he managed, despite his blurred his senses. Ghaea frowned and put her hands against his head but Halen brushed her attempts to heal him away.

"Really, I am fine," Halen reassured her, regaining his composure. She nodded finally, and the two started off again, in the direction the Fellowship had taken. Though the magic in the mines had been destroyed, the air was soon thick with it again as they went further away from the mountains, and they travelled again in _plane,_ making short work of the distance between them and the others ahead.

Halen was the first to fall from the glassy alleyways, and Ghaea soon tumbled out behind him.

"What happened?" A thick forest greeted them, and just as they slid into visibility, they were accosted by the Elves who guarded the lands.

"Lady Galadriel is expecting you," the leader said, his voice laced with a hint of arrogance. With no choice, the two Sanre followed quietly behind the guards as they led them to the heart of the forest.


	9. Chapter 9

9

The Fellowship was welcomed graciously but cautiously to the realm of Lady Galadriel, and the group, though still heavy-hearted from the recent loss, took a much-needed rest after their hard journey from Imladris. They were not the same people who departed the Elves' sanctuary weeks ago. Battle and hardship had drawn them closer together.

"Should you not be resting?" Haldir's voice broke into Legolas' thoughts. The latter looked up as the guard of Lothlorien settled down beside him on the tall tree. Legolas shook his head and looked back at the scene he had been watching before, and Haldir followed his gaze toward the two siblings who rested apart from the Fellowship. From their perch, Legolas and Haldir could easily hear the quiet conversation between the two Sanre.

"Why did you agree to Arwen?" asked Halen. He sat, eyes closed, leaning with his back against his sister's. A silence followed, and then, she replied slowly,

"Because you agreed." Halen stood up quickly and turned to his sister. Intrigued by their conversation, the Elves listened intently. Legolas was trying to overcome his wonder at meeting Ghaea under such strange circumstances, and his companion was quickly becoming in danger of falling deeply in love.

Halen was astonished at her answer, but Ghaea only looked at him with a challenging expression.

"Are you going tell me you would have decided differently?" Halen stared, and was silent. No, he would have followed the decision regardless of the consequences. Once again, his sister saw right through him, but he was still puzzled.

"You would not have come if you did not agree as well. Why did you?"

"Arwen said that I reminded her of someone she knows," Ghaea replied quietly, "I can't help but wonder who, though she resisted giving details; and the Edhel, Legolas, greeted me with shock and emotion, as if he knew me, but that is impossible.

"Halen," Ghaea continued, her voice lowering to a murmur, "Arwen's love is Aragorn, and I read in her mind that he is the rightful ruler of the country of Gondor. His love for her is no less determined." Halen knew she was now thinking of Major Steven Kent, a former SG team member, who had died in a battle against the Jaffa then-loyal to the Goa'uld Bastet. Although the major was human, both Halen and their parents had been happy for Ghaea.

"This Sauron is different from Bastet," Halen said softly. "But you are right; Major Kent was an excellent man." The siblings smiled at each other, and Ghaea thanked him for his implied agreement at her decision.

"There is no need to spy on us," Ghaea said. Halen had just gone – called to meet with Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn, and she sat alone on the bench. Legolas and Haldir exchanged a glance, surprised, and descended the tree. Legolas at once greeted her and after polite inquiries, he bid her and Haldir goodbye to rest. Haldir stood silently before the Sanre woman and wondered what to say to her. Ghaea glanced at him but did not say anything before starting to walk away. She felt strangely tired and uncertainty unsettled her. Was it the symptoms of the Affliction?

"I am a guard, and this is my home; I was not spying," Haldir said, catching up to her, his voice slightly defensive. Ghaea stopped. He was youthful, she noted, but all Elves seemed young, and he looked at her both in wonder and in uncertainty. Ghaea took the opportunity to ask why so many Edhel seem shocked by her appearance.

"You resemble someone we know," he replied, his arrogance fading. Ghaea was beautiful.

"Who?"

"Wife of King Thranduil of Mirkwood," he replied simply. Ghaea frowned. Legolas' mother?

"No," said Haldir, shaking his head. "Legolas' mother is with the Valar. King Thranduil suffered greatly at her loss, but has remarried. You resemble her." Ghaea was surprised that the Elves would consider anyone beautiful enough in likeness to match an Elf, but Haldir assured her that Thranduil's wife was indeed very beautiful, though she was not an Elf.

"She is human?"

"No," Haldir answered. "She is..." he paused, trying to think of the word the queen had used. "She is a _Fuhring_, the last of her kind. Her people were destroyed long ago by a war and she alone was left in the refuge of Greenwood." Haldir did not notice the look on Ghaea's face until he finished the tale, but was instantly concerned when he saw that she had gone quiet, staring at him in disbelief.

"She is…" she paused, "is she an Ancient?" Haldir seemed confused, having never heard the term used in such a way. Ghaea didn't know how to explain further and in the short silence that followed, Haldir suddenly remembered her earlier conversation with her brother.

"Who is Major Kent?" he asked, a strange sort of irritation rising up inside him. She was surprised at his question.

"Major Kent was an officer of the SGC, where my brother and I stayed with friends. He died in battle while trying to free a people oppressed by the Goa'uld Bastet, whose race sought to enslave millions of humans in and beyond our friends' galaxy." Haldir was about to speak again when Halen returned. He seemed shaken, and it was apparent that he wanted to speak with his sister alone. Haldir nodded to Ghaea.

"Thank you," she said suddenly, smiling a little. He returned her smile, bowed, and left.

Halen wasn't sure where to begin the tale of everything that had transpired between him and Lady Galadriel, but he told Ghaea everything, the tale broken and somewhat jumbled in ways very unlike the usual, eloquent way he spoke.

"Lady Galadriel seems to know much more about the Fellowship and its quest than anyone else," he said. Ghaea listened carefully to her brother, and then told him her own tale of her talk with Haldir and of King Thranduil's wife.

"An Ancient? How can that be?" Halen asked, hardly believing his sister, but Ghaea reminded him of the book in Lord Elrond's library, which had referred to Tolkien – an Ancient – as a _Fuhring_. Haldir referred to the queen of Mirkwood in the same way.

"If she is an Ancient, then we have hope of going home," Halen said, smiling for the first time in days. Ghaea agreed.

"But our directive now is the quest," she said.

"How did I know you would say that?"

The Fellowship left Lothlorien finally, bearing blessings and gifts from the Elves. Haldir watched from the shore as the boats passed the boundaries of the forest, and bowed to Ghaea as she looked back at him, her expression kind. He memorized her flawless features. Halen and Ghaea followed the boats silently, first in plain sight, and then in _plane_, as they passed out of the forest, along the shores of the Anduin. Their feet did not touch the ground as they ran, swiftly and silently over the terrain.

During their stay in Lothlorien, Halen and Ghaea had learned many astonishing things, but they also made better friends with the Fellowship members. The Hobbits were always willing to share stories of their homeland, and Legolas and Gimli had also contributed those story times. Aragorn and Boromir, though still aloof, had lost their initial distrust of the Sanre.

"Mr. Frodo?" Sam's sudden question caught everyone's attention as they rested at the shore of the river.

"Frodo?" Aragorn called into the darkened trees. "Boromir?" Legolas glanced about quickly, sensing something was wrong, and the Fellowship quickly plunged into the forest to look for their straying comrades. What they found were dozens of Uruk-hai, hungry for battle. Aragorn's heart raced faster than he could run as he searched frantically for the Hobbit. He found Frodo standing atop a ruined stone balcony, unharmed, but the Uruk-hai were quickly advancing. Pushing the ring-bearer away into the trees, he faced the assaulting warriors of Saruman with Legolas and Gimli at his sides.

Frodo, who had never stepped out of the Shire in his life before his fateful journey to Imladris, knew he had to leave alone and complete the quest on his own. With Halen and Ghaea as his unseen witnesses, Frodo ran off, but Sam did not let him go alone. He ran into the river behind Frodo, disregarding his inability to swim, and this time, it was not Ghaea who saved him, but Frodo. This time, it was Halen who felt a twinge in his heart, and Ghaea knew then that his mind was made up to follow them to the end.

He couldn't let them go on alone. Lord Elrond was right; if Sauron won, everyone would suffer, and what hope he and Ghaea had of finding the Teran or going home, would be lost. He was ready to give them his all, for a chance to go home.

"Ghaea, take care," he said, and embraced her, before waving taking off behind the Hobbits who were already on the other side of the river. He stepped swiftly over the water after them, gliding over the water surface without wetting a single thread of his clothing. A horn sounding in the distance, and, recognizing it as the horn of Boromir, Ghaea took a deep breath and went quickly to find rest of the fellowship.

Boromir blew the horn of Gondor with abandon as he fought off endless Uruk-hai alone, trying to protect Merry and Pippin. He was sure the others heard him, and in the distance, he was even sure they were coming, but his injuries and fatigue caught the better of him, and he fell to his knees as another arrow struck in him the side.

"Boromir!" Pippin cried, and he and his cousin continued to hurl rocks at the huge creatures, but it was all in vain. They were soon captured and carried away, all the while kicking and yelling for their friend, who knelt, hunched over his knees on the ground. The Uruk archer sneered as he notched another arrow into the crossbow, but he did not live to fire it.

Ghaea swept the veil of _plane_ out of the way, leapt into visibility a few feet behind the Uruk-hai, and fired at the creature from the P90 she carried at the insistence of the SGC for the first time. The creature fell to the ground under her expert aim just as the remaining members of the Fellowship crashed through the trees to the clearing.

"They took the little ones," rasped Boromir, as Aragorn knelt beside him and put a hand to his arm to comfort him. The wounded man confessed his weaknesses with the ring, but Aragorn comforted him, trying to remove the many arrows. Boromir stopped him, knowing it was too late, but Ghaea walked to them, and as Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas watched in amazement, she pulled out all three arrows with lightening speed, and then put her hands on both sides of Boromir's face, cradling his head gently. And then, they glowed with a pulsing, blinding warmth, like the sun shining through sweet, amber syrup, and slowly, the wounds healed, leaving no marks of injury.

"Amazing," Legolas murmured, eyes wide, as the singing vibrations of magic dissipated. Gimli just stared as Boromir sat up, disoriented. He uttered a hesitant "thank you" to Ghaea before slowly getting up with Aragorn's help. The ring and Frodo was beyond them all, but the men, Elf, and Dwarf vowed to stay true to each other and to free Merry and Pippin from their captors. Boromir set the Horn of Gondor into the waters, for it was damaged beyond repair, split into pieces just like the Fellowship.

"Let's go hunt some Orc!" Gimli said loudly, receiving sound agreements from the others. Aragorn turned to Ghaea.

"You are welcome to come with us," he said hesitantly, still unsure what to think.

"You saved my life; I am in your debt," Boromir added quietly. Ghaea observed the man silently and nodded. When Boromir turned toward the other again, she felt suddenly frightened that she could not listen selectively to the voices of the people around her. Words and thoughts echoed together, jumbled in her mind, but Ghaea determinedly focused on Aragorn's voice and nodded. Her brother had gone with Frodo, and she would go with Aragorn.

They traveled swiftly over the land, tracking the Uruk-hai. In _plane_, Ghaea sometimes travelled faster, but other times, the fatigue that crept upon her made her wonder if she would be able to keep up pace. Some days later, Legolas caught sight of the Uruk-hai heading for Isengard, Saruman's home, and not long after that, they entered the kingdom of Rohan.

Eomer, the nephew of the king of Rohan, and his riders were the first people they encountered, and despite the complaints of Boromir, Ghaea pulled him into _plane_ with her just as Aragorn spotted the riders. She had learned enough of Rohan from Aragorn to know that a man openly from Gondor would not be received well. Boromir resisted but Ghaea was firm. Their priority was to find Merry and Pippin and to do that, they needed the help of Rohan's king. Angering the riders would not help their cause.

After a rather tense beginning, Eomer allowed the three to travel on, while he and his men continued north.

"What hope there was has forsaken these lands. Find your friends," Eomer said seriously before leading his riders away.


	10. Chapter 10

10

"I got it!" Weir looked up quickly as McKay hurried into her office.

"Rodney?"

"I found them." The three simple words shocked and overwhelmed her with emotion.

"Are you certain?" she asked, her voice wavering. McKay nodded eagerly.

The Sanre had taken them to home galaxy of the Teran, but there was little there to help them. The science teams salvaged several remote dialer devices, but many of them had long since broken down. Many planets once settled by Teran had no stargate, and few that did had one of Ancient design. The original dialer from Serrus was brought to Atlantis, but its carvings of constellations were too foreign to belong anywhere near them, and the Ancient database held little information about them.

Three months had gone by and their efforts had not succeeded. Even General Landry, who had stuck out for the two Sanre until the very end, was forced to accept the IOA's decision to let the matter go. Weir had no choice but to follow through on orders, though with each new mission, she reminded each off-world team to be alert for Halen and Ghaea. Teyla now included the siblings in her prayers to the Athosian deities, and Ronon had long worn out his anger in the gym. Life would never return to normal, Sheppard knew, and as he and his team continued to go through the gate, they hoped that on the other side, they would find some clue of their friends.

"We've missed the one place they're most likely to be." McKay lectured, pacing the conference room. Sheppard tilted his head to one side.

"Where?"

"The Teran's new home world."

"What?"

"Their new home world," McKay repeated. "They left their old galaxy a long time ago, and none of the gates work there, so our first assumption that Ghaea and Halen would end up there is wrong. Judging from the constellations in the dialer program, wherever it connects the gate to, it's nowhere near here.

"It's very likely that the Teran built more of their gates in their new home, and if that's true, the dialer on Serrus would have dialed the first available and working gate – there," McKay finished.

"Do we know where their new home world is?" Weir asked, her eyes focused on McKay. He hesitated. In truth, it was not as simple as he had made it sound. With the dialer permanently broken from the overload on Serrus, they had no easy way of dialing back.

"Well…we still have to cross-reference the symbols on the device with some archives we salvaged from an old Teran planet. Once we have that, we can estimate where their new world is," McKay answered. Weir put forth the idea to ask the Sanre about the whereabouts of their old allies, as she had the distinct feeling the Sanre had not told the SGC the full story behind the Teran's migration, but the Sanre had no details to add.

"Well, during the Teran migration, the Sanre _were_ dealing with the Affliction and the war against the Ori, so I doubt they paid any real attention," Daniel guessed. McKay glanced at Weir, who looked down at the table. Taking a breath, she looked up at the others around the room.

"Our first priority is to find the location of their new home world. We will not lose hope that perhaps Ghaea and Halen have not gone that far. I will contact Earth and tell them of our discovery."

Atlantis forged ahead with new information and new hope. While McKay and a physics team were able to power the damaged Teran device using the ZPM, dialing the device was out of the question, as the ZPM did not have nearly enough power and the original dialing hardware was broken beyond repair. They were, however, able to quickly retrieve the eight symbols last dialed by the device, and Daniel got straight to work. They also discovered an interesting attribute to the dialing device.

"It emits a sort of charged field around it; the moment it came online, there were power fluctuations in the power grid on Atlantis," Zelenka explained. "Nothing serious; we were able to overcome it and stabilize the system, but the device continuously generates this charge while it is powered up."

"An electromagnetic field?" Weir asked.

"That's what we thought at first, but turns out, it just super-charges certain atoms around it, causing them to align in a particular way," McKay continued. "On Serrus and on numerous other formerly Teran-occupied planets, the most prominent building material was a metal that, according to both the Sanre and the Ancient database, was regularly used in almost all Teran architecture and technology."

"They must have had a lot of it," Sheppard commented.

"They did," McKay answered. "The Teran, apparently, was the only race we know that used it. The metal acts like a conductor, passing on the charge from the dialer over entire cities, and possibly even over entire planets. It's ingenious, really."

"Is it dangerous?" Weir asked. Zelenka dispelled her fears regarding the danger of the energy field, and brought up an even more interesting point.

"We believe the device can be modified to work with Ancient technology. If so, any field that is generated will essentially be self-sustaining." Weir was thoughtful.

"If that's the case, we have a powerful and useful piece of technology in our hands, but our first priority is still to find Halen and Ghaea," she reminded.

"I think I have something," Daniel spoke up. "Teran dialers work like the DHD in that the number of chevrons denotes the distance of the wormhole. We know that the Sanre were sent to another galaxy by the eight chevrons dialed.

"The Teran gate dialers follow Ancient gate rules. The last symbol is the point of origin, and the first symbol is the destination. This first symbol is called the _unin_ in ancient Teran – more modernly known as the _oren_," Daniel paused and admitted that "modern" meant only circa 17000 ZE in Sanre history – more than 12,000 years ago.

"But according to the charts the Sanre have provided, I roughly estimated the destination," Daniel finished, pointing to a small system on the projected map.

"According to your estimation, it'll take more than eight months, Caldwell said, frowning.

"But not for a Sanre ship," Sheppard argued.

"Yeah," Daniel admitted slowly, "that's the problem." At Weir's frown, McKay elaborated, first conceding to Sheppard's point. "Yes, with them, the trip would be merely a few days, but the Sanre are reluctant to make the trip because of the possible risks associated."

"More importantly the risk of the Affliction," Daniel added. Caldwell considered the situation.

"Even if the Sanre were willing to make the trip, it'll be hard to get this authorized by the IOA," he added. With Earth under threat of attack by the Ori, the _Elizabeth Weir_, the newest Sanre warship created specifically for the SGC, named for the Atlantis expedition leader, was the only Earth ship capable of withstanding Ori weapons and outmaneuvering Ori ships.

"Then we'll have to get another ship to make the journey," Weir said. She wasn't about to let politics get in the way of the biggest hope they have of bringing the two young Sanre home.

The Sanre were predictably unwilling to participate in the mission, but Weir wasn't a former UN negotiator for nothing. In the end, she was able to gain unanimous – albeit reluctant – agreement to help Atlantis make the journey to the new Teran home world. Landry was delighted they had worked something out, the Joint Chiefs had nothing to say, as the Sanre agreed to provide a ship to make the journey and Earth would not be without protection, and even the IOA could find no inappropriateness in Atlantis' request.

The fast-maneuvering, former hospital ship _Iprene_ was fitted for travel, and after a crash course in the numerous systems of the ship offered by a team of Sanre engineers which even Hermiod felt was too fast, Sheppard's team, Daniel, Dr. Carson Beckett, and the crew of the _Daedalus_ departed Atlantis, course set for the Teran home planet.


	11. Chapter 11

11

Halen had left Frodo and Sam to their own devices since breaking off from the others, and he had also begun to feel the effects of the Affliction – fatigue radiated from his bones that even the deepest meditation could not ease. It was getting more difficult to wake up in the mornings, but he stayed with the Hobbits, thinking about the Hobbits' quest, his sister, and their own quest of finding a way home. In the beginning, the Uruk-hai had followed them, but Halen took care of that, despite his illness, and it was not until they reached Osgiliath did Sam and Frodo realize they had been followed.

"Why?" Frodo asked, already losing hope that he himself would survive the quest. He couldn't imagine anyone else wanting to risk everything to follow him and Sam to Mordor – especially after learning that the Sanre would lose everything by this choice. Halen gave a small, rueful smile.

"Like the others of your company, my sister and I promised the Elf Lord of Imladris that our first directive would be to protect the Fellowship against evils of the one you call Sauron."

"But your life – ascension," Frodo continued, Halen's explanation of his haggard appearance still fresh in his mind.

"Ascension is not something Sanre strive for. It is beyond the capabilities of most of our race." Halen paused momentarily, as if the statement saddened him. "Whatever the outcome, Ghaea and I will help you to the end." The Hobbits were moved to hear him say so but Halen wondered how soon the "end" would come. Would he be able to control the effects of the Affliction that threatened to consume him? And would he still be able to _borrow_ once they reached Mordor?

Ghaea knew the dangers her brother would face as he neared the mountain behind Frodo and Sam, and of all the perils, being utterly alone while fighting the Affliction was perhaps the most frightening. As she stood on the battlements of King Theoden's keep, alone and away from the other soldiers of Rohan huddled along the wall, Ghaea could feel the familiar yet alien excitement of the upcoming battle within her. The new feelings both exhilarated and terrified her. She could hardly wait to feel the strength and heat of unbridled power rushing through her, and that revelation scared her.

Voices travelled up to her from the level below, and she looked down to see Legolas speaking with another Edhel, and behind them, hundreds more Edhel were preparing for battle. The person with whom Legolas was speaking looked up at her, and she recognized him as the captain of Lorien, Haldir. He bowed, recognizing her at once, but she didn't know how to respond. Instead, she turned away to gaze out to the dark mass of approaching Uruk-hai.

She had arrived safely to Edoras, the Golden Hall of Theoden, with the remaining members of the Fellowship after meeting Gandalf – now the White Wizard – in Fangorn Forest. He had reassured them that both Merry and Pippin were well, but relief was short lived when Gandalf told them the bad news: King Theoden of Rohan needed their help. Ghaea had followed them first to Edoras and then to Helm's Deep, the stone fortress in the mountains, where she stood now. As the wind picked up and clouds darkened the sky, Ghaea had a sudden idea. Hurrying down from the battlements, she sought the king, and was then quickly given permission to be installed in a small maintenance shed that shared one wall with the outermost stones of the thick fortress wall. If the Rohirrim believed Helm's Deep to be impenetrable, then it shall be so – for as long as she could manage it.

The plan worked at first, providing the fighting force of Rohan and Lothlorien with near invincibility as they hurled arrows and rocks at the invading mass, but Ghaea was quickly overwhelmed as the Uruk-hai destroyed not only the land they passed through, but the magic as well, and soon, there was little left for Ghaea to borrow. The shield shrank smaller and smaller, and the Uruk-hai pressed deeper and deeper into the keep.

Boromir had quickly gained the Rohan king's favor after standing firm on the side of the Rohirrim and was honored to fight once more with the army of Rohan. When Ghaea had requested him to accompany her to the small closet, he had been confused until she explained why she needed his help. Ghaea's abilities to manipulate the environment stemmed from her ability to "borrow" magic from the surroundings, which required extreme concentration, and the concentration to create an impenetrable shield around a place as large as Helm's Deep rendered her completely senseless. Boromir served as her eyes and ears, and when the time came, to wake her from the deep meditation.

Outside, Aragorn cried for Legolas' true aim. Shield now failed, Ghaea and Boromir hurried from their small room to the top of the wall, where Boromir joined in the fighting and Ghaea aimed her P90 toward the Uruk-hai and fired without hesitation. The wall could not be saved in the end. Stone and dirt flew into the air, and Uruk-hai poured into the keep. Theoden called everyone behind the well-made doors of the hall.

"Gather the women and children and send them into the mountain!" Gimli called for Legolas to help in bracing the heavy doors as Theoden ordered his men to send word to the caves. Aragorn did not seem content in giving up.

"Why not ride to meet them? Your people would follow you to the end. Ride with them." Ghaea looked up from her kneeling position by Haldir. She had hastily stopped the blood-flow on the battlements but had waited until they both had reached safety before healing him completely. Looking behind her, she saw that many others were injured and she quickly got up to go to them. Haldir reached out for her hand quickly and she turned back to look at him, her expression softening for a moment before leaving to tend to the others.

The fighting seemed never ending, and Ghaea had never been so relieved to see the morning sun, for with the light came overwhelming reinforcements, and Saruman's army was finally driven away.

"Ghaea," Haldir said simply, coming near as the human healer had retreated in haste. Haldir sat down on the bench by the cot, and Ghaea nodded to acknowledge him.

"_Haldir! To the keep!" Haldir nodded and turned to give the orders to the Elves of his command. One moment of distraction, however, nearly cost him his life. He felt the world wash away and sounds silence as he collapsed to his knees, hardly comprehending his injury. He barely noted that the Uruk behind him was killed. In the distance, a great noise sounded, like horses galloping on stone, and suddenly, he felt warm. Life returned to his eyes and he became alert again. Looking sideways, he saw Ghaea. The gentle but firm hand at his side was hers; she was healing him._

"_Go!" Ghaea pushed him forward toward the keep harshly, in a manner quite unlike the gentle way he remembered of her._

"You saved my life," Haldir said, pulling himself from his memories. "Thank you." Ghaea knew he meant it, and gave him a stiff smile. After the wall fell, she had felt the Affliction overwhelm her, but still she fought, darting in and out of the crumbling _plane._ She had seen Haldir and the Uruk behind him and had rushed to him.

Haldir was curious about her heritage, her world, and her family and Ghaea answered his questions patiently. In return, she learned much about the Elves from him. Sailing west to be with the Valar one day was their destiny. The Valar had created them and they would all someday return home to their arms.

"I long for the ever-enduring light of the West," he told her, looking somewhat sad. He looked at her face and the grief of the Elves faded somewhat from his soul. He wished now that he could stay, or that she could sail with him. Ghaea, unaware of his inner thoughts, was surprised. He seemed young, compared to his world-weary kin, and was under the impression that only the elder departed across the sea.

"You?"

"These battles have made me wary of Arda. I wish to sail." Ghaea considered his decision. The Valar seemed only concerned with the eternal well-being of the Elves. Why was that? What of the other races that inhabit Arda?

Ghaea recovered quickly from the scratches from the battle – more quickly than Elf or Man – despite the increasing symptoms of the Affliction, and her friendship with Haldir grew, but another battle was soon upon them; this time, at the front gates of Boromir's home – Minas Tirith.


	12. Chapter 12

12

The _Iprene_ dropped from hyper speed above the intended target – Q7R-7254, a planet that looked very much like Earth – five days after leaving Atlantis. The immense ship was more amazing than anything the Daedalus crew had ever seen. Although the systems were more than 10,000 years old, the technology was still so advanced that the engineering team could hardly make a scratch on the surface of its complexity.

The ship's sensors detected life signs on the planet at once and entered geosynchronous orbit above the area with the greatest sign density.

"Colonel Sheppard, the area is clear; standby for jumper deployment," Caldwell announced after securing the immediate area in space. He looked out over the planet from his seat on the spacious bridge as Sheppard readied his team to board the jumper. Clapping Daniel on the shoulder once, Sheppard left the prep station and hurried into the specially modified jumper. McKay took his position in the co-pilot's seat and the jumper detached from its docking station as the giant cargo bay doors slid open slowly.

"Bay doors are open," reported Major Kevin Marks to both Caldwell and Sheppard over the radio from the navigations station on the mezzanine level of the spacious bridge.

"Colonel Sheppard, you have a go; be careful," Caldwell added.

"Yes, sir, jumper one out," Sheppard replied, activating the cloak as the tiny jumper cleared the cargo bay. The flight from the ship was quiet. Sheppard concentrated on the flight controls and McKay on the computer. Teyla and Ronon spoke quietly in the back, while Beckett silently looked over the field kit. Sheppard hailed for their missing friends as soon as the jumper entered the atmosphere.

The battle at the Pelennor was not progressing to Gondor's advantage. Orcs from Mordor had almost breached every wall of the white city, and no one felt as desperate to win back Minas Tirith as Boromir. Ghaea could see the dark mountain looming in the distance and knew her brother was somewhere there with the two Hobbits. She could neither help her brother nor stay out of the battle. As King Theoden charged forth down the hill toward the masses of Orcs, Ghaea put all of her concentration into borrowing every last bit of magic still unspoiled by the invading Orcs and sped ahead of the Rohirrim using her magic to urge the horse faster and moved so fast it seemed as if she was flying. Leaning forward, she increased her speed and let the magic pool around her. Then, holding out both hands before her, she slammed into the wall of Orcs with more force than a full-speed train. The blue wall of light that emanated from her hands plowed past several ranks of Orcs, killing them instantly. The shock from the impact stunned hundreds more behind them and before they could recover, Theoden's riders thundered into the mass.

"This is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard; Halen, Ghaea, please respond." The silence was torture for them as they dipped lower in the sky toward the ground, and with each passing moment, their hopes dimmed a bit more. Sheppard sighed a bit and tapped the jumper's radio again.

"Ghaea, Halen, do you read? This is Sheppard, come-"

"Colonel Sheppard! It is good to hear your voice!" Ghaea responded, cutting off his sentence. In the background, the battle raged.

"Ha! I can't believe it! We found her!" McKay said, his face breaking into a wide smile before zeroing in on their position in the computer.

"What is that noise in the background?" Teyla asked, glancing at McKay, who frowned and tried to clear up the interference and direct Sheppard toward the mass of constantly-changing, blinking dots. As the jumper finally flew close enough for Sheppard's team to see the scene, they were shocked and horrified at the sight of the battle. McKay's eyes widened as he tried to keep track of the yellow dot on the computer in front of him – indicating Ghaea's subcutaneous transmitter. Suddenly, a shadow fell over the jumper and the small ship was given a mighty knock on one side, sending it reeling up into the sky again.

"What the hell was that?" Sheppard demanded, grasping at the controls and bringing the ship about. Ronon steadied himself to a standing position and pointed to an enormous black flying creature.

"There."

"What is that?" murmured Teyla, eyes wide. Carson had also stood up, leaning forward look out the windshield of jumper over McKay's head. The Nazgul struggled a bit in the air and righted itself again, and the rider glanced around furiously for the source of the turbulence before flying away. The team from Atlantis was speechless at the sight of the large creature, but McKay had pinpointed Ghaea's location, and at the moment, recovering her was their goal.

"Is Halen there?" Sheppard asked, turning to look briefly at McKay, who shook his head.

"I'm not picking up his signal," he replied. Intent on finding Ghaea, Sheppard steered the jumper over the massive fray. Hideous black creatures and enormous mammoths slaughtered the people on the ground, but there was no sign of Ghaea.

"Oh my God," Beckett muttered, under his breath.

"McKay, where is she?" barked Sheppard. Startled, the Canadian looked down at the computer and pointed obediently ahead of them.

"Uh, there." The yellow dot blinked closer and closer until they finally saw Ghaea, fighting just as viciously as the others around her. The battle had ripped what little there was of _plane_ away to shreds and she had no choice but to fight like the others, protecting the people whom Lord Elrond worried over. She went into and out of _plane_ to gain advantage and struck out at the Orcs with a sword when she could, having emptied the P90 long ago. Boromir had died just steps away from his white city, just as the legion of the dead stepped onto the shores. The battle ended quickly after that, and soon, the field was quiet again. The five people in the cloaked jumper stayed absolutely still as they took in the scene below them.

Ghaea looked to the sky and knew that Colonel Sheppard must be close, in a cloaked jumper. She tapped her radio and hailed them. Suddenly, to her left, Ronon and Beckett appeared. Exhausted and relieved, Ghaea allowed them to help her into the still-cloaked jumper. She was dimly aware of the hatch closing and of the concerned expressions of the team before falling into unconsciousness.


	13. Chapter 13

13

Ghaea opened her eyes slowly but quickly closed them again, grimacing at the sunlight that streamed through the partly open windows into the room Dr. Beckett had hastily converted into a small infirmary.

"Good to have ye back," smiled the Scottish doctor, looking up from his work at the table by the window. He checked her vitals and the machines that monitored her progress before stopping finally at her bedside.

"Dr. Beckett," Ghaea murmured groggily, "how long have I…?"

"Nearly a week; we've all been mighty worried."

"Halen?" Ghaea immediately asked of her brother, but Carson motioned at the bed across the room, where he lay, motionless, beneath the coverlet. Halen was unconscious when Sheppard and McKay team found him in the ruined city of the former Mordor. He was still alive, but suffering from the same Affliction as his sister.

Aragorn had received the team from Atlantis with curiosity and caution, even after Sheppard and Teyla had explained their situation, but after learning that they were friends of Ghaea, he allowed himself to relax a bit. Whoever these friends of Ghaea were, wherever they came from, they must be very powerful; powerful enough to turn the tide of the war once and for all. But Sheppard had no intention of fighting in their war. It had taken Aragorn and Eomer much persuading before Sheppard agreed. Caldwell was predictably wary, especially because of the first-contact situation, but he supported Sheppard's decision, cautioning that the colonel only act in defense.

Ghaea slept through the final battle in the relative safety of the white city but she was not happy when Daniel told her about it later.

"Fighting is all they know to do," Ghaea accused, finally unable to suppress her growing anger toward the situation in Arda. She and Halen had put their lives at risk for Lord Elrond but learned that there was no end to fighting and death. She had saved Boromir at Amon Hen, but death caught him anyway on the fields of Pelennor. Halen was able to heal Frodo's wounds, but not his spirit, and even now the small Hobbit was planning to sail for the west and join the Elves in the land of the Valar.

Aragorn and Legolas, just coming in to visit her, felt defensive to hear her speak so. They had put their doubts about Ghaea and her brother behind them after seeing them selflessly help the Fellowship after Lothlorien, but they still could not understand why they opposed fighting so. Everyone's lives could be better now that Sauron is gone. Surely she can see that.

"What a bleak beginning you will make if that is your true belief." Ghaea vented her frustration on the two surprised people by the door. Millenniums of careful hiding were now all in vain, and she felt powerless as she slipped deeper into the Affliction. She and her brother had lost their antenna, the clear minds, and much of their abilities to safely _borrow_, and Beckett kept a constant watch over them.

Legolas stared at the woman before him, and began to understand the mysterious Sanre's situation. During her convalescence at Edoras, she had grown close with Haldir, and had confided many things about her race to him. When Legolas had asked Haldir, the Elf explained that the Affliction was like the sea-longing, but with more serious consequences. The look on the Dr. Beckett's face told Legolas everything; Ghaea and Halen were dying.

"I dun' know what else to do," Carson said, showing the others his discovery. The disease was rapidly degrading the Sanre's genetic material, rendering it incapable of staying in its normally stable, three-stranded form, and there was no denying that their lives were at serious risk if the disease continued.

"Ghaea said that the symptoms started shortly after their first run-in with the Orcs," McKay added, sitting down in front of Sheppard and the others. He patted the tablet computer before him. "According to Sanre historical medical records found in the Iprene's computers, there was only one other officially recorded occurrence of the Affliction, and that was several thousands of years ago during the war against the Wraith, when the Sanre entered to help the Ancients."

"Officially?" Sheppard asked.

"There was another occurrence some years after that, when the Ancients fought against the Ori, but the Sanre didn't officially enter that war. Those that chose to ally with the Ancients broke off from the majority Sanre population."

"Sanre historical records do mention a group of Sanre that were never seen or heard from again," Daniel confirmed. McKay nodded.

"And they were presumed to have died," he finished.

"Are you saying that they will die?" Teyla asked, disbelieving. McKay grimaced as he explained to Teyla that the while the Sanre could ascend like the Ancients, it required enormous work, and the records showed that less than one percent of the affected population even attempted ascension.

"That's one percent less chance they'll die," Ronon mumbled. Sheppard frowned. They still didn't know how this illness worked.

"You're right, but I think I may have a theory," Carson began. "I can't know for certain, but I believe that Sanre's minds are extremely susceptible to their situations.

"They can manipulate their environment but are also vulnerable to being manipulated when affected by the illness."

"But they're still Sanre," Sheppard stated, frustrated, but Carson shook his head. Among the many things that made them Sanre was their DNA. The Affliction caused them to lose their unique appearances and powers. Entire triple-stranded DNA segments were being replaced by double-stranded ones. Teyla and Ronon were confused, but McKay understood the implications.

"They're becoming more like us; they're de-evolving." Sheppard turned away and walked to the window, frustrated. Beckett glanced between Sheppard and Rodney, who looked down again at his computer.

"Ghaea's tissues show a deterioration rate of almost eight percent; too significant to ignore. She has double stranded DNA in some of her cells, and that number is rapidly increasing, creating an unstable environment," Beckett said quietly. McKay fiddled his fingers over the screen of his tablet computer as their group fell silent.

Upon hearing Beckett's prognosis, Caldwell had immediately suggested that they take the two back to Atlantis for treatment, but Beckett hesitated. Each day, Ghaea and Halen's condition worsened. They were irritable and easily fatigued. There was nothing in Atlantis that would help them; the Sanre themselves did not have a means of treating this illness.

"Then our only hope is to find the Teran – the Valar. Elves that travel over the sea can be cured of their sea longing. Maybe they can help us as well," Daniel speculated, rubbing his eyes as he and Beckett sat quietly in the darkened room next door to Ghaea and her brother, much later that night. The two of them and McKay had been working almost non-stop to find a means of helping their friends recover.

"Where's McKay?" he asked suddenly, noticing the absence of the third member. Beckett hummed. He had a pretty good idea where the Canadian scientist was.

McKay sat in Ghaea and Halen's room with Teyla. Both Sanre were asleep, and Teyla dozed, but he stayed awake, tapping consistently on his computer, talking softly all the time, somewhat grateful that his only audience allowed him to ramble freely.

"Zelenka and I discovered a nearly-depleted ZPM in one of the newly-explored corridors of the city." He related the news from the Daedalus, the Asgard, and Atlantis to her quietly. "…not that the Asgard show much personality." McKay stopped typing and looked thoughtful for a moment before going back to work.

"Dr. McKay." Surprised, he looked down at the voice.

"Oh, sorry, I…did I wake you up?" Ghaea shook her head.

"It's good to see you again."

"How are you feeling?" Handing her a cup of water, he helped her to sit up slightly.

"We do not have much time, Dr. McKay, Halen and I."

"Don't talk like that; that's quitter talk!" McKay replied quickly, hoping to turn the conversation away, but Ghaea shook her head and her eyes seemed to cloud over at some memory.

"There were thousands. We didn't want to, but all along the path to Mordor…." McKay had seen his fair share of creepy Wraith, but it must have been terrifying for her to help the civilization on this planet, all the while knowing her fate.

"Aragorn told us," he said. He did not understand why she chose to help the people here. Halen had told them that he was against it from the beginning. The Sanre have always appeared to McKay as being aloof, but he knew now that there were much more complicated matters at play than what met the eye. He finally knew how deeply the reason for their non-interference policies ran.

"But there might be a way back! Daniel and I have been doing some research here and there might be a way to go to the current Teran home planet." Ghaea sat up by degrees and stared at McKay.

"According to Legolas, once an Elf looks or hears the ocean, they get, like, seasick, although this illness makes them want to throw themselves…" he trailed off, grimacing at the vivid details the Elf had provided. "Anyway, when that happens, they sail west to a place called Valinor, the home of the Valar, where they live out the rest of their lives in peace." McKay hummed and looked at Ghaea expectantly.

"You believe that the Teran have been helping Elves ascend?" It was possible, McKay said. At the very least, they were able to cure the Elves, whose sea-sickness has the same symptoms that she and her brother experienced.

"Carson said so. Well, it's not the same disease, but hey, they get sick and lose their immortality, the whole bit." Ghaea hardly knew what to think, but she knew that if they stayed in the white city, they would die. McKay babbled on, telling her all Daniel had learned in the library. "And did you know that the Ancients came here? Some guy by the name of-"

"Tolkien; yes. He passed the last days of his life with the Elves. But I do not believe he is the only Ancient who had come here," Ghaea continued. "Haldir told me once that the queen of Legolas' home is a _Fuhring_, and Halen and I learned in Imladris that the Teran once referred to the Ancients by such a name." McKay blinked.

"Really?" he asked incredulously, "Are you sure?" Ghaea shook her head and lay back down on the pillows. She had wanted to meet the woman whom everyone said looked like her, but the Affliction had caught up with her first.

"There is a definite way of going to Valinor," Daniel announced at breakfast. The team from Atlantis looked up at him, surprised. "I did some research in the library here, and according to the Elves, the Valar are the all-seeing creators of Arda. When Elves cross the ocean to Valinor, they would be free of all troubles and become like a Valar; immortal," Daniel continued. "I also believe that the Valar created the Elves in the image of the Sanre." Halen looked up sharply at this.

"What?" Sheppard asked, caught off guard. Daniel nodded. It was not a far stretch. The Teran had always tried to create a perfect race, and Elven history stated that the Valar had specific designs when they created Arda and the Elves.

"The Valar wanted peace and nobility, without sacrificing strength and ability. The Nox and the Sanre were both perfect candidates, but the Nox had little dealings with the Teran, so it's possible that…" he trailed off, but the message was clear.

"The Elves are not perfect!" scoffed McKay, as a group of Elves walked past them in the courtyard, Legolas and Haldir among them. The others scowled and walked quickly away, but Legolas and Haldir stayed to greet both siblings. Neither Halen nor Ghaea were as serene as they remembered, but according to Dr. Beckett, it was to be expected.

"Their minds are unstable due to the illness," Beckett had told them. Today, however, neither Sanre seemed as aggressive as before.

"We are immortal beings created by our Valar; what else can be more perfect?" Haldir asked, curious to know what their idea of perfection was.

"Surely there is more to perfection than what you have named," Teyla said slowly, not wishing to offend him, but also wondering what kind of beings the Valar really were to play with life in such a way.

"Perfection isn't real," Ronon said shortly them both. Haldir looked back at Ghaea, who sat at the bench. His heart was saddened to see her like this, and he wished he could help her.

Arda was undergoing big changes after the war. Aragorn became King of Gondor and took Arwen as his queen. Eomer was hailed King of Rohan, taking the throne after the death of his uncle, King Theoden. Eowyn and Faramir wed soon after her brother's coronation, uniting the kingdoms of Rohan and Gondor. Amid the joyous celebrations, there was also sadness. Many Elves prepared to sail west, their spirits scarred by war.

Legolas, however, did not wish to sail. He became Aragorn's sentinel, and founded Ithilien, a last sanctuary for the Elves in Gondor, and he and Gimli prepared to travel Arda together.

Halen and Ghaea were now determined to sail west, but despite the Elves' insistence that Valinor existed, the _Iprene_ could detect no other land than Arda on the planet. McKay had initially thought that Valinor must be cloaked, but the scans could not confirm his theory.

"I think I may have the answer to that," Daniel said. "It seems that the Valar left this planet a long time ago."

"Are you sure?" Sheppard asked. Daniel hesitated.

"Well, not exactly, but the Elves do have a story that the Valar 'removed themselves from the land they had created'. I think that, at least, gives us the reason why we can't find them on this planet."

"Why would they leave?" Teyla asked in confusion, "The Elves are their legacy; why would they leave them here alone and in danger?" Daniel shook his head.

"The stories are far from truth, I think. Because the Valar left so long ago, there are hardly any records of them at all."

"If the stories don't have information on where they might be now, we still don't have a clue about where to start looking," said a frustrated Caldwell.

"Yes we do," McKay said suddenly, snapping his fingers. "You said that the Valar moved their entire city away from Arda," he said to Daniel, who nodded. "What if they did? Atlantis is equipped with a star drive; what if-"

"That city had one too," Sheppard finished, catching on immediately.

"But they wouldn't have gone just anywhere," Daniel reasoned, "because from what we've learned, if the Valar are the Teran, then they'd care too much about their creation to go far."

"Which means they could still be close by," Caldwell finished, nodding. He radioed the bridge to sweep the area of space around them immediately for an inhabited planet and granted Sheppard's team a go when a match was found. Caldwell, however, felt little relief. Beckett said that Halen and Ghaea had already begun to exhibit mental deterioration at an alarming rate. Without a proper treatment, the doctor didn't know what else to do.


	14. Chapter 14

14

Bilbo and Frodo sailed from The Grey Havens a day before Haldir's own departure with his brothers and others from Legolas' home, and Ghaea and Halen prepared to sail – fly – as well, aboard a jumper piloted by Sheppard. For the Atlantis team, there was no time like the present. Halen and Ghaea's health had deteriorated so much that Beckett placed them both in a medically induced coma, knowing full well that if they could not find a cure, they would never wake up.

"Are you clear on the rules of engagement?" Caldwell asked, as Sheppard gathered the last of the supplies and readied his team to go. The medical team had already moved the comatose Sanre aboard the small vessel and Beckett was busy securing the gurneys and giving last-minute orders.

"Yes, sir; first priority is the medical situation." Caldwell sighed inwardly. Once Sheppard reached the other side, all communications would be cut off, and they would be on their own. McKay, after no small accomplishment, had managed to pinpoint the location of the Valar home world, but the good news stopped there. McKay had found the same charged field from Serrus on this planet, and it was much stronger. The field encompassed the entire planet, and though they tried, the _Iprene_ could not get close. Daniel suggested a backup plan after doing some research, but Caldwell was not sure whether it was fortunate or not. Since the Elves had no space capabilities, the only way they could get to another planet – knowingly or unknowingly – was via stargate.

The jumper, after a brief landing at the shores of the Havens for a last, scheduled check-in, glided silently behind the great white ship of the Elves out to sea. Since the location of the stargate was a mystery even for the Elves, Sheppard and McKay had no choice but to follow the white ship on the waters below.

"How're they holding up?" Sheppard asked, as he relinquished the jumper controls to McKay and made his way to the rather crowded rear section. Ronon had dozed off on the bench, leaning back against the jumper wall, Teyla talked quietly with Daniel, and Beckett was sleepily keeping watch over the two Sanre. They had been flying steadily – and slowly – for more than a day behind the ship, and had passed the towering statue of the Ancient Tolkien a few hours ago.

The monitors beeped quietly, and Beckett shook his head.

"I hope going through all this to find the Teran will help. Otherwise…." Sheppard grimaced, but was unable to say more as McKay called him. The colonel quickly took back the controls as the stargate came into view suddenly, through the heavy mist. Only half of the ring was above the water surface, but it was enormous. McKay estimated that it could have easily fit even the _Prometheus_.

"Yeah, that's definitely it," McKay muttered, studying the gate closely through the windshield and at the photos the jumper fed to his computer. The ship sailed into the open wormhole gracefully, and the Elves did not seem to notice the gate at all. Ronon woke and the team stared anxiously at the gate.

"Hang on guys," Sheppard said, adjusting some controls before urging the jumper forward into the shining event horizon.

The jumper exited the stargate and immediately dived toward the ocean.

"This would be a great time to get that genius program of yours working," Sheppard said, trying to pull the jumper out of a hard impact with the water. They went under, but not for long as McKay enabled the program he had designed to counteract the force of the jamming field. It was not completely effective, but it allowed Sheppard to steer the jumper to the shore and land it shakily to the sand.

The beach was deserted, and the team wondered where the Elves had landed. Valinor – if this was indeed the Valar's home world – seemed extraordinarily bright and warm, for the sun was not the only source of light. A second orb sat upon a mountain that towered over high above everything else.

An old man hobbled into view from the hills beyond the beach and hesitated before approaching them. Ronon pulled his gun from its holster, but Sheppard held him back. The man invited them to follow him, but when Sheppard asked about Ghaea and Halen, the man took one look at the two Sanre and shook his head vehemently.

"Look, we're trying to find a race called the Valar," Sheppard said, "our friends are very sick and we're here only to find a cure."

"We won't harm you or your people," Teyla added. The old man took a step back, and before the team could say more, a beam of bright light engulfed them, and they disappeared, leaving only Ghaea and Halen laying, still unconscious, on the gurneys in the jumper.

"Welcome to the palace of the Elder King," greeted the stoic soldier at the doors of the palace, before escorting the team into the vast and light-filled great hall. Two people sat at the head of the hall, on the throne. Sunlight streamed in from the tall windows and the water in the intricate fountains to either side of the enormous hall sparkled and echoed as they flowed.

"We've been expecting you," Varda greeted, in a soft, twinkling voice, after introducing both her husband and herself as the highest ruling Valar of the Undying Lands. Sheppard narrowed his eyes and glanced around. They had been beamed, he gathered, from the beach, but two members of their team were conspicuously missing and their weapons had been removed.

"There were two others with us; where are they?" he asked carefully. Varda glanced sideways at her husband.

"The Furlings are not allowed here," he replied firmly.

"You know who they are?" Daniel asked, surprised at the now little-used term to refer to the Sanre. Sheppard, however, was less concerned with how they knew about Ghaea and Halen and more about their safety.

"He's right," Carson said hurriedly, "Halen and Ghaea are very sick. We can't leave them alone." Manwë, however was unmoved.

"The Furlings are a danger to us. It was they who caused our defeat against the First Generation," Varda said.

"And the first generation was your…creation," Daniel deduced, and seeing the sudden change in the two Valars' expressions, he knew he was right. "You are the descendants of the Teran, aren't you?"

"We are under no obligation to explain anything to you. You are strangers, trespassing on our land. We have watched you since your arrival, and we know that you have been trying to gain access to our world by ship!" Manwë said severely.

"In order to save our people," Sheppard countered, his voice rising in frustration.

"The Sanre have always remembered your race with respect," Teyla tried again. "Halen and Ghaea are our friends, and they will die if we do not help them."

"But they are not our friends," dismissed Manwë. "They have never treated us as equals, even when they cared to call us the next generation." McKay rolled his eyes.

"Well it's easy to see how your ancestors lost that title," he scoffed, to the chagrin of Sheppard. The Valar's expressions changed to surprise, and then sadness and anger.

"Who are you?" Varda asked, her voice dangerously low. McKay glanced at Sheppard apologetically, but the colonel just shrugged.

"Then it's only fair that you tell us who you are and what kind of place this is," he replied, refusing to be intimidated. A long moment followed, but finally, Manwë spoke.

"We are the Valar, all-powerful rulers of Arda and of the Undying Lands of Valinor." He looked at Daniel. "We were once known as Teran by _less advanced races_," he emphasized. "Who are you?"

"Well, I'm Colonel John Sheppard, and this is Dr. Beckett, Teyla, Dr. McKay, Ronon, and Dr. Jackson," he introduced nonchalantly, "from Atlantis."

The old man shuffled carefully into the jumper and studied the controls, his eyes missing nothing as he noted the Ancient design, but decidedly new Sanre attachments to some of the main systems. When he had taken his fill of studying the equipment, he turned back to the two still lying silently on the gurneys. These strangers had invaded their lands. Things would never be the same again, but there was one way to get the humans to leave. The man leaned closer to Halen, but before he could react, the Sanre's arm shot out to grasp his wrist in a painful grip. Halen held his other hand against the man's forehead, and soon, the man was unconscious, crumpled to the floor of the jumper.

"Halen?" Ghaea called groggily, as she opened her eyes and sat up. She glanced at the man on the floor and then looked to her brother, who looked concerned.

"Where is Colonel Sheppard?" asked Ghaea, looking around.

"I do not know, but perhaps they are in trouble. The man's intentions were not friendly," replied Halen. He tried to hail the colonel by radio, but both the radios from Atlantis, as well as the jumper systems, were off-line. Studying his sister, Halen said,

"Are you well enough to _search_?"

McKay knew he had hit the jackpot with his jab at the Teran's former title as the Fifth Race, but Manwë and Varda's anger confused him. Hadn't the Teran resented the alliance and wanted to leave? Why then, were they upset now? Surely 10,000 years of isolation would have diluted any resentment the Teran could have?

"Less advanced races?" Sheppard said. "That's a big claim you're making." The planet was well-protected and Sheppard knew that whatever technology the Teran used was incredibly advanced, but he wouldn't put these people at the top of the food chain.

"We were able to do things others only dreamed of accomplishing, and we are much stronger," said Manwë, with conviction.

"But you can't ascend," Daniel said slowly, his brows furrowed in thought.

"What?" Varda asked suddenly, startled by his change in tone of voice. Daniel, unlike Sheppard and his team, had just realized something very important.

"I'm right, aren't I? You're no more near ascension than you were 10,000 years ago." Daniel continued. The Atlantis team turned to him. "You aren't the descendants of the Teran, are you?" he asked slowly, finally piecing together everything.

"I've found them," Ghaea said softly, feeling relieved that her abilities had recovered, though the speed of the recovery unsettled her somewhat. "They are only a few leagues away, toward the east." Halen, impatient to find the colonel and his team, started to turn away, but Ghaea stopped him. "Halen, they are speaking with the Teran."

"What?" McKay asked sharply, looking from Daniel to the seated Valar, but Daniel wasn't done yet. The Teran had conducted many experiments in their quest for ascension and immortality, and most of the civilization they created, being primitive, hailed the advanced race as their gods. Daniel knew the Ancients had, at one point, supported the Teran's ventures, but drew away when a less advanced race they had taken under their wing became over-zealous and power-hungry.

Varda's expression had gone pale, and Manwë's countenance grew darker.

"You left the Milky Way galaxy because you underestimated the one race you counted on to carry your future. They became something out of your control and for all your technology, you couldn't stop them."

"We left because we were no longer welcome by those whom we once called equals!" thundered Manwë.

"You left because you were afraid," Daniel retorted, the words ringing in the silence that followed. The Valar said nothing, and Sheppard was afraid that Daniel had crossed a line. Varda seemed to slump in her seat.

"We had succeeded in creating our legacy, but the Lanteans did not approve," said Varda. "Our children walked the true path of enlightenment. They imitated us, their creators, and in return, we gifted them with ascension."

"Except you forgot to tell them that you couldn't ascend," Daniel said sarcastically.

"We were on the brink of our goal when the Lanteans attacked!" Manwë cried, slamming his fist onto the arm of his chair in anger. "Our machine could eliminate our mortal inabilities and help our bodies to ascend. Had they more faith, they would have seen the true might of our race!"

"You're still not able to ascend!" McKay retorted, rolling his eyes. Manwë pounded both fists into the chair and leapt up, causing McKay to step back in shock and Ronon to step forward menacingly. Sheppard's own hands reflexively fisted, but he coaxed Ronon to stand down.

"You created the front of the Ori," Daniel said slowly. Manwë sat down again and looked away, frowning. "You recognized the prior's adoration for you and created an image of a perfect god in the hopes of capturing their attention while working in the background to make ascension possible for them."

"Yes, Dr. Jackson," Varda murmured, "We are the Ori."


	15. Chapter 15

15

Halen and Ghaea met the team halfway down the mountain, and after much initial astonishment, the team was happy to see them well. Beckett has amazed at their miraculous recovery, but years of medical experience made him wary and he examined them immediately upon returning to the jumper. Both claimed to have no idea how they had recovered but Beckett noticed subtle changes in them – they were quieter, more aloof, almost unfocused and confused.

The group returned to the jumper, where they discovered their weapons and belongings intact and Daniel told them everything they had learned from the Valar, but there were still many unanswered questions.

"If the Teran are incapable of ascension, why then, would Merlin create a weapon for destroying ascended beings?" Teyla asked.

"He must've not known the Teran never achieved ascension," McKay offered, but Sheppard was skeptical. The Ancients were once very powerful, and an Ancient had even lived among the Teran in their new world. How was it possible they didn't know?

"Rodney could be right," Daniel said. "Tolkien and Merlin weren't part of the mainstream Ancient society. What they knew about the Teran wouldn't have been common knowledge, and it's possible they also didn't know some things other Ancients knew." The team had many speculations about the Valar, but the biggest mystery is how the Teran were able to become immortal.

A sudden crash inside the jumper alerted the team and they hurried to the jumper to see Halen attack Beckett.

"Halen!" Ghaea cried, throwing up a shield to protect Beckett from the flying glass shards of the medical equipment, but Halen walked straight through it and clenched his hand around his sister's neck, his other hand hard against her temple. Ghaea's grip on her brother's arm was loosening, and her eyes closed slowly.

"Oh god," Beckett muttered, as Sheppard's team burst into the jumper. Ronon stunned both Sanre in one shot without hesitation, and Halen and Ghaea collapsed on the floor. Beckett and Teyla surged forward to examine the two.

"What the hell happened?" demanded Sheppard from behind Ronon, gun still poised to stun. Beckett shook his head, and explained that everything was fine one moment, and not the next. The two young Sanre were returned to the cots and Beckett stayed up the night to look after them, but there were no repeating episodes. The next morning, both woke like their old selves with no any memory of the day before. Though Beckett was worried, he reluctantly released them from medical surveillance to explore the city with Haldir and his brothers, who had found them early in the morning, at the eager insistence of both Sanre.

"I still dun' think it's a good idea," Beckett muttered as Ghaea and Halen left with the Elves.

"Perhaps being outside will help them," Teyla offered hopefully, but Beckett wasn't reassured. He had monitored the Sanre's progress closely since finding them, and although it was clear that both were recovering in record speed, their DNA still didn't completely match the baseline he had taken during their last physical, something that worried the doctor.

"Maybe it's part of the recovery process," Sheppard said, unconvincingly.

"I don't think so," McKay suddenly said, looking up at them over his computer.

"What do you mean?" Sheppard asked immediately. The scientist grimaced. Testing out a faint suspicion, McKay had found that Valinor was blanketed in a kind of radiation, and he theorized that the constant exposure could be interfering with cellular recovery.

"And I'm willing to bet the next Daedalus shipment of coffee that it's comin' from that thing," McKay said, pointing out the jumper's large windshield to the clearly visible, brilliant light of Amanil that rested on the tallest peak of the continent.

Halen and Ghaea returned later that day, escorted by Haldir and his brothers, and though both Sanre seemed distant, the medical tests showed that their DNA recovery were within acceptable parameters. Sheppard, relieved that the two new people under his command seemed out of danger, was impatient to get back to Atlantis, despite the assertions of Manwë and Varda that they could not leave from the Undying Land.

"They might be right," Daniel said. "We can't contact the Iprene because of the jamming field, and without a working jumper, we won't be able to reach the gate to dial," he reasoned. Sheppard considered Daniel's point and looked to McKay, who blinked back at him.

"What?" Sheppard rolled his eyes a bit.

"Well, you're the smartest man in two galaxies; you don't have a plan?" McKay made a face, but didn't reply in the usual snarky fashion Sheppard had come to expect.

"Actually, I do have an idea, but it's a long shot," McKay said. He believed there must be a machine inside the mountain like the obelisk on Serrus that controlled the light and the jamming field.

"All right," Sheppard said slowly, after McKay had finished, "we've got ourselves a plan. The gate is not too far from shore; we can-" McKay, however, quickly spoke up again.

"Wait, wait; I said this was a _possibility_, not a straight shot!" At Sheppard's exasperated expression, McKay continued, "You think the Teran are gonna just let us tamper with their little toy? Nah-uh! Even if we were able to temporarily disable it – which, I add, would probably be next to impossible – they would discover it; we'd never make it through the gate in time! The Teran aren't average humans; they're smart. Not to mention the high possibility we'd be stopped before we even got close to the light-"

"Then give me a plan that'll work, McKay, we need to get out of here," Sheppard interrupted. They had found Halen and Ghaea, and he was getting tired of thinking about the twisted ambitions of the Teran. The _Iprene_ was waiting for them, and he didn't want to think about what Caldwell would do if they missed their return deadline. Beckett agreed with Sheppard quickly. Something was wrong with their recovery and being exposed to radiation won't help.

McKay worked out a plan by the next morning, and though Sheppard was sure it would not work, permitted Teyla to ask the Valar to allow them to leave. Manwë immediately refused.

"We have nothing but your word that your ship will not compromise the peace of our world, and your honor is not good enough," he retorted scathingly back at the Athosian. Halen and Ghaea stood by Teyla as she tried to reason with the Valar. They had wanted to meet the Teran since Sheppard had told them of Manwë and Varda, for, like most Sanre youths, both had grown up with, and were enchanted by, the stories and myths surrounding the mysterious, ambitious race. Though the Sanre were more reclusive than their allies the Ancients, they had some dealings with the Teran, a young race the Ancients had once openly favored. What they saw now, however, was a decrepit race; a decaying society prisoner to their own twisted, crumbling ambitions of science and religion.

"The honor shown to you by the humans of Atlantis far exceeds _your_ courtesy!" Halen cried, stepping forward, no longer able to keep silent at the rudeness of the leader of a race the Sanre had for so long kept in favorable memories.

"Halen," Ghaea said quietly, watching Varda intently. The Teran stared steadily back at her, as if trying to communicate with her eyes, daring her to look into her mind. Though Ghaea was curious, she recoiled at the thought of looking into a mind which she knew was as biting as her attitude. Halen held up his hand to his sister.

"No, Ghaea, this is what the Teran have become!" Halen continued, looking back toward Manwë, whose jaw tightened at the accusation. Teyla looked anxiously between the Teran. Slamming his fist upon the throne chair, the Manwë yelled in rage.

"How _dare_ you-" he could not speak for his anger eclipsed him. Halen made a step forward, but Ghaea stopped him, lurching forward to catch hold of his arm. She gave one final glare at Varda.

"We have not harmed you; in fact, we helped your children to overcome the evil threatening them when you did not act," Ghaea said bitterly. "Please, help us get home," she finished, her voice softening. Varda seemed on the verge of words, but Manwë spoke.

"You chose to come to the Land of Undying. We will be gracious to allow you to live out your lives here in peace." The Teran's voice was filled with disdain. "Furling, do not think us less than you because we cannot read minds." Manwë narrowed his eyes. "I imagine you, of all people, would rejoice in our kindly decision." Teyla glanced at Ghaea, who stared, eyes full of distrust, at Manwë.

Halen frowned as he reached the jumper at the shores of the sea. Anger he had never before felt flared inside him. McKay looked up from the makeshift stack of crates as Teyla and Ghaea followed him.

"Oh hey...how'd it...go?" From the look on Halen's face, McKay knew the trip was not a success. Sheppard sighed. There was nothing else to do except attempt to stop the light themselves. The team was already packed a ready to go, and Sheppard turned to give instructions when he heard Halen's clenched voice.

"Why did Manwë say that to you?" Ghaea stared, and was silent. "Why would he assume you would be happy to remain here?" She remained quiet, looking away quickly. Sheppard stepped toward Teyla with a question in his eyes.

"Manwë said that Ghaea would be happy to stay in Valinor, and therefore offering us the chance to stay would be their grace to us," she whispered. Ronon, McKay, and Beckett stared at the two Sanre uneasily. Halen said no more, but he knew what Ghaea thought. Sheppard spoke up quickly.

"So I'm guessing we're going with plan B; can you and Ghaea get us to the light without being detected?" Halen looked away from his sister and nodded slowly at the colonel. Ghaea lifted her gaze from the floor and turned to the team as well.

"Okay," Sheppard said carefully, as if building a tower of cards. "Then we move out tonight. Ghaea, Halen, you'll get McKay and me to the jamming machine. As soon as we're done, we'll head back to the jumper," Sheppard finished. His orders seemed to have diffused the tension between the siblings and both Halen and Ghaea nodded.


	16. Chapter 16

16

"Have you found a way to get past the jamming field?" Caldwell asked Dr. Lindsay Novak, who shook her head uncertainly. The _Iprene_ had waited for two days and Sheppard's time was almost running out. Caldwell, though having agreed to wait patiently for Sheppard's return, felt more frustrated as the hours ticked by. He was thankful, however, that his crew was aboard the Sanre ship instead of their own _Daedalus_. Just being in the strange and wonderful ship kept everyone focused and hopeful. Anything was possible with the _Iprene_.

The jumper was dark as McKay finished the last of the preparations for their plan. McKay had taught Teyla how to activate the jamming program and to operate the jumper's Sanre systems while Sheppard instructed Beckett where to fly the ship once they were airborne.

"Okay," Beckett said quietly, checking the last bin in the jumper, "that's everything." Sheppard nodded.

"Halen, Ghaea," he said to the two Sanre keeping watch with Ronon by the hatch. Nodding, they beckoned to the colonel and McKay and swiftly and silently took them into _plane_ and soon, McKay was staring in wonder at the massive obelisk in the center of the hollow mountain cavern just below Amanil.

"You got it fixed yet?" Sheppard asked tentatively, keeping his eye on the dark landscape outside, his hand resting on the P90 at his vest.

"It takes more than a few seconds to disable an incredibly complicated piece of alien technology," McKay replied, frustration evident in his hoarse whisper. Sheppard made a face.

"Well, just hurry up; the longer we stay here, the lower our chances of getting out of here undetected." The obelisk clicked gently and a tray near the base slid open, revealing dim blue light from within and numerous wires and crystals.

"Bingo," McKay said to himself, ignoring the colonel. He dropped to his knees and immediately examined the crystals. The next few minutes were quiet as McKay's computer beeped softly in the dim light and the physicist concentrated on his task. Sheppard could see neither Ghaea nor Halen from his position just inside the cave entrance, but he knew they were close and vigilant.

"I'm not ignorant of your friendship with the Edhel," Halen said quietly, as he stood against the smooth rock walls of the mountain. Ghaea was perched higher upon a rocky ledge over the entrance to the cave, and both were invisible, in _plane_. "You did not tell me."

"It does not matter," she replied softly, looking out over the vast, dark plains below the mountain. Valinor was more beautiful at night without Amanil. Halen turned to look at his sister. "The Teran does not enjoy our presence here. Once we leave, it is doubtful we will return." Halen felt more perturbed than Ghaea showed. He knew his sister was falling in love with the Edhel guard.

"Okay, that should do it!" McKay announced, standing up finally and sprinting to Sheppard, who sighed in relief. Halen and Ghaea were instantly at their sides, leading them into _plane_, and down the mountain. They didn't get far before a crackling noise stopped them. A ring of light emanated from the mountain, swooped down across the landscape, faster than a bullet train, and disappeared into the horizon in all directions. Halen stopped abruptly.

"What was that?" McKay demanded, raising his P90 quickly. The radio stirred with distorted voices.

"Any way we can get a signal here?" Sheppard asked. Halen shook his head. Cursing inwardly, Sheppard thought quickly. "It's probably the Iprene. Halen, you're with me; we'll go outside to talk. Ghaea, stay with Rodney. If anything happens to us, get him back to the jumper immediately, get in touch with Caldwell, and come get us. If things go south, tell Caldwell to leave." McKay made a strangled, outraged noise, but Sheppard cut him off before he could argue. Somebody had to have seen that flash, and he counted on McKay to get everyone else safely to the ship. McKay quieted immediately, and Halen nodded to Ghaea.

"Come on," Sheppard ordered. The air before them rippled, like wavy glass doors sliding open. Sheppard and Halen disappeared for a moment before reappearing on the other side of the transparent barrier. McKay hoped anxiously that nothing would happen, but Sheppard and Halen had not been on the other side for one moment before a blinding light enveloped them and they were gone in an instant.

"You okay?" Sheppard asked Halen, looking around the dark, empty hall.

"Fine."

"What have you done to the Light?" demanded a booming voice suddenly, cutting off Halen's sentence. A figure approached them swiftly, and suddenly, the hall was ablaze with light and Sheppard was clutching his head in pain. Halen rushed forward, but was instantly thrown back several feet as a second figure jumped out, arm raised, brandishing an eerily familiar arm brace.

"Sir, I'm not getting any signals from Colonel Sheppard or Halen's transmitters," reported Marks, frowning over the computer screen. Moments ago, the _Iprene_ had picked up a sharp energy anomaly from the planet surface, followed by the transmitter signals of Sheppard and Ghaea, but both disappeared as suddenly as they came. There was a moment of elation when engineering reported that the jamming field had completely collapsed, but it was short lived, for although they could now communicate with those on the planet surface, the Atlantis team seemed to have disappeared. Sheppard's team was now overdue, and although Caldwell was worried, he was hesitant to take drastic actions. There could still be a reasonable solution, and it was time to put the vast array of on-board technologies to the test.

"Dr. Novak, this is Caldwell; prepared for a full-area, spectrum scan of the planet. I want to know what happened to those people."

"Yes, sir!"

"This is not good!" McKay mumbled, out of breath, as he and Ghaea arrived at the jumper to discover it empty.

"No," Ghaea agreed quietly, looking around carefully, "it is not."

"Do not think us ignorant of your intentions!" cried Mandos, brandishing the hand device toward Sheppard, who was now on his knees, eyes tightly closed in pain. "Where is Dr. McKay?" Sheppard clenched his teeth and maintained that he knew nothing about Mandos' accusations. Behind Mandos, Manwë and Ulmo entered the hall, leading the others from the jumper. Ronon hurried to Halen, who had regained consciousness, and Teyla and Beckett helped Sheppard to his feet.

"Re-engage the Light, and we shall release you," Manwë commanded.

"With all due respect," Daniel said quickly, "I don't think you understand. The light is preventing us from leaving. Our ship is waiting in space. Once we leave, you can activate the field again." Manwë glared hard at them for a moment and then turned on his heel to leave.

"You can't turn it on again, can you?" Daniel said slowly, his eyes narrowing at the Teran's retreating back. Mandos exchanged an uncomfortable glance with Ulmo, who looked back at Manwë. The high king of the Valar looked back at Daniel and suddenly seemed to slump. Murmuring something foreign to Mandos, he again turned strode from the hall.

"What'd he say?" Sheppard asked, nodding to Teyla to assure her that he was alright.

"I have no idea," Daniel murmured quietly, frowning toward Mandos, who seemed to be arguing quietly with Ulmo. Both Valar seemed even more astonished than the Atlantis team. Daniel turned toward Halen, who had recovered from the initial blow of the hand device.

"Mandos and Ulmo have been charged with telling us the truth of the Light," he told them quietly.

"The Furling is correct," Ulmo told them, coming near. "Come," he gestured toward a long hallway behind him.

Caldwell strode quickly through the spacious halls of the _Iprene_ toward engineering. Novak had reported moments ago that the ship had managed to lock onto a weak signal of McKay's subcutaneous transmitter. The signal winked at intervals, but it was undoubtedly McKay.

"Can you beam them aboard?" Hermiod blinked and shook his head.

"The ship is equipped with transport signal magnifiers, but without a steady location, beaming would endanger Dr. McKay. I will try to filter for a clearer signal." The blinking dot on the display winked at intervals, and Novak theorized that McKay was sending them a message. Suddenly, the dot intensified.

"Sir, we've got clear signals; it's Dr. McKay and Ghaea!"

"Beam them to engineering now," Caldwell ordered, stepping back clear the space before the Asgard's work station. The familiar light filled the room and moments later, Ghaea and an astonished McKay blinked back at the relieved colonel.

"Oh my god; it worked!" the physicist cried, turning around quickly. "Hermiod, genius!" The Asgard appeared flustered at the outburst but nodded.

"Thank you, doctor."

"What happened down there?" Caldwell asked, telling them all they had seen from their vantage point above the orbit. McKay quickly filled Caldwell in on the events on the surface, telling him that the Teran would not likely let Sheppard go unless the light is reactivated.

"And you think they can't reactivate it themselves because of a genetic degeneration?"

"It's not the first time we've seen it; I mean, the Asgard – no offense," McKay said quickly, looking at Hermiod. The Asgard scientist acknowledged the reference, and did not seem to mind. "The Asgard had a similar problem, but the difference is that the Teran have been actively and knowingly manipulating their DNA away from their original forms for years. They've managed to successfully suspend cellular aging; who knows what kind of effects that might have on their mental abilities?"

"You are inferring that Teran technology is as interactive as Sanre technology," Hermiod pointed out, but McKay reasoned that while the Teran had been the closest to the Ancients in the past, they also learned a lot from the Sanre.

"I noticed that Varda, one of the Teran, wore an arm brace similar in design to a Goa'uld hand device. Whether it was decorative or functional, I don't know, but I had a very close look at the machine at the base of the light, and there were minor relays that had been bypassed and unused for years, and those bypasses looked as if they had been jerry-rigged on a whim. Completely screwed up. I think I can use that to our advantage."

"How?" questioned Caldwell, considering McKay's words.

"Well, certain parts of Valinor are shielded, like the mountain beneath the light, and probably where they have Sheppard. I've been monitoring the energy frequencies around those areas while on the planet, and I think I can program an energy pulse to disrupt the shield. Once disrupted, we can beam the team aboard, and I can activate the light remotely."

Caldwell did not like the plan, but he agreed that the team should be taken off the planet as soon as possible. Disrupting a surface shield mechanism was not the diplomatic solution he had hoped for. If McKay was right and the Teran had Sheppard's team, the last thing he wanted to do was antagonize them. Hermiod, however, seemed to have confidence in McKay's proposal, even after acknowledging its difficulties. Caldwell sighed inwardly.

"Do it."

"Dr. McKay, how's that disruptor coming along?" Caldwell asked over the radio, sometime later, anxious to get the team home.

"It's ready!" McKay replied, sounding harried and a bit nervous. "The Sanre communications systems weren't designed for this kind of signal, so we're bypassing them altogether and hooking it up to the main broadcasting satellite."

"Will it work?" McKay hesitated.

"If it doesn't, I hope the Teran aren't weapons capable," he replied, causing Caldwell to frown even deeper. "Here goes," McKay muttered, "powering up satellite."

"Sir, we're receiving hail; audio and video," reported Marks from the helm. Caldwell leapt up and approached the enormous, floor-to-ceiling HUD at the side of the bridge as window popped up and a face appeared.

"Your people have been released," Manwë informed Caldwell coldly. "You will leave this place and never return. I demand your word that everything you have seen here will remain forever a secret." Caldwell immediately tapped his ear piece and ordered McKay to stand down, and then, the entire ship waited in anticipation of Caldwell's next words.

"This is Colonel Caldwell of the Sanre ship Iprene. You have detained our people without our knowledge, but in spirit of good faith, we promise to not reveal information of you." Manwë was silent, his glare penetrating. Suddenly, Colonel Sheppard and the team appeared on the bridge in a flash of brilliant light.

"Leave," Manwë commanded again, before the connection was severed.

"We've lost him," Marks said, tapping the controls at the workstation. Caldwell ordered Marks to trace the transmission, but the major came up with nothing, even with the powerful sensors of the _Iprene_. The engineers in the cargo bay reported that the jumper had also appeared, battered, but intact. Making sure McKay could still activate the light remotely, Caldwell gave the order, and soon, Valinor was again inaccessible to the ship.

"Thank you, sir," Sheppard said quietly to Caldwell as they stood at the windshield of the bridge, looking down at the strange planet. The elder colonel nodded.

"Let's go home," Caldwell ordered.


	17. Chapter 17

17

"How are they?" Sheppard asked, striding quickly into the spacious infirmary of the _Iprene_. Behind him, the deceptively frail-looking bulkhead doors closed quickly. Beckett looked up and walked to the colonel. Shortly after jumping to FTL, Ghaea and Halen began to exhibit fatigue and irritability, which progressed quickly and suddenly into a coma. Beckett rubbed his chin.

"They're stable, but I don't know what's wrong with 'em." Sheppard looked, concerned, toward the two infirmary beds. He asked whether it could be another bout of the Affliction, but Beckett shook his head.

"I dun' think so," the doctor replied. "The Affliction is like the pox. You either die from it or overcome it, and they've already overcome it." Caldwell and the rest of Sheppard's team soon arrived in the infirmary, and Sheppard remembered something strange from their short stay in Valinor.

"I did think it was weird how they loved to look at the big…light…thing." Caldwell was puzzled.

"There was a large light that rested on the peak of the tallest mountain; the people called it Amanil," Teyla explained quickly.

"There is a record of SG-1 feeling the effects of withdrawal after visiting a former Goa'uld planet with a room full of light," Beckett said slowly, beginning to understand the situation at last. McKay suddenly snapped his fingers.

"That's it! The light was emitting high levels of energy. It wasn't harmful so I didn't pay too much attention, but it probably did have something to do with their weird symptoms," he said, remembering the horrific sight the day Halen lost control.

"You think the radiation made them sick?" Caldwell asked, eyeing the complicated diagrams on the screen behind the doctor.

"On the contrary, I believe that it was the radiation that cured them in the first place," Beckett replied. Both had recovered almost immediately upon arrival in Valinor – too good to be true and over the next day, he had noticed subtle changes in both siblings, like their insistent wishes to be out of doors and episodic memory loss. He theorized that while the light – being an extremely old ascension machine like the one found in Atlantis – helped them to recover, it also subtly mutated their DNA according to the Teran's preset goals. With no "normal" DNA to operate their bodies, both Sanre became dependent on the constant radiation.

"Why aren't anyone else addicted?" Ronon asked, puzzled.

"It could be that we're not susceptible to it. The Elves who live there either overcame it or are as addicted as Halen and Ghaea but we can't tell because of their constant exposure," Carson reasoned. "It could be that the light affects them differently." After all, Sanre were very different than Elves, for whom the light was made. "Under the circumstances, I don't think they'd make it back to Atlantis." The silence was almost tangible as they considered the narrow list of options. Finally, Caldwell made the decision.

"Bridge, this is Caldwell, drop out of FTL and plot a course back to Q7R-7254," he instructed quickly. A "yes, sir" answered him, and he nodded to the others before making his way back to the bridge. Sheppard's team left shortly afterward, and Beckett returned to work at Halen and Ghaea's bedside.

Suddenly, the hallway dimmed and the blue lights lining the corridor floors blinked and the unmistakable chime of the emergency lockdown alarm sounded. Every bulkhead along the perimeter of the circular infirmary closed and locked, trapping the medical personnel both in and out of the rooms.

"Carson!" McKay called loudly over the radio from just outside the infirmary.

"We're fine, Rodney," replied the doctor quickly, "what happened?" McKay looked around at the darkened hall. Just minutes ago, the alarm had gone off and the ship had cut main power to the entire medical section. McKay had gone immediately to the infirmary, where he knew Beckett would be, examining the power grid of the ship as he went.

"I don't know...seems like a technical difficulty…or faulty power, but I can't seem to override it," McKay replied, confused, as he looked at his tablet. He moved to the side of the hall and tapped on an area of blank, glassy wall beside the doors, but nothing happened.

"Dr. McKay, what's the situation in medical?" Caldwell asked from the bridge.

"Everything except the lights is down. The control panel is not responding, and I can't override the protocol from my computer…Hermiod, can you do anything?" The Asgard soon replied that he, also, could not override the ship's computer.

"Uh, Rodney, I think I found out a way to unlock the system," Daniel said, looking carefully at the ship-building schematic in the holo room. He had been doing research on Sanre history and the Affliction when the alarms went off, and had quickly tried to find information on the ship's schematics.

"How?"

"Yeah, apparently, there are two protocols in the event of an emergency. One is to activate the artificial human interface that's linked to the computer core for diagnostics, and the other is to deactivate the computer altogether and fly the ship manually," Daniel read.

"Well, I doubt we can fly the ship manually," Caldwell said slowly, "so turning off the core is not an option."

"Artificial interface it is then," Daniel said, turning back to the hologram. Following Daniel's instructions, Hermiod accessed the emergency code in the ship's computer, and soon after that, the very realistic hologram of a long-deceased captain appeared in the hallway beside McKay and Daniel, who had made his way to the physicist from the holo room.

"Sanre ships are incredibly advanced," McKay explained to his small audience, after he and Daniel had finished a rather aggravating question and answer session with the humorless AI. "They're able to recognize specific genetic material of passengers." He reminded them that before leaving Atlantis, the Sanre scientists had insisted each member of the _Daedalus_ tour the _Iprene_. "And now we know why; the ship scanned each of us so it could tell us apart."

With no other way to shut off the alarms, Sheppard had shot the environmental sensors of the ship in the end to stop the lockdown alarms and – despite vocal protests from Hermiod, a firm believer of protocol, especially with regards to borrowed equipment – ordered for the bulkheads to be torched open to allow unhindered passage through the affected hallways.

"So why did it lock down the infirmary if everyone was accounted for?" Caldwell asked, slowly, already dreading the answer. McKay seemed almost pleased with himself for discovering the answer to the colonel's question.

"Ah, we can _see_ Halen and Ghaea and recognize them. The ship can't see; it only analyzes genetic material."

"And the DNA for Halen and Ghaea has mutated beyond the ship's recognition capacity," Beckett added, nodding in understanding. The two Sanre had not recovered from the Affliction at all. After a thorough examination, what had appeared to be a quick recovery was actually the result of artificial genetic mutation – caused, most probably, according to McKay, by the Light of Amanil.

McKay nodded at Beckett's assessment. "What's happening to them is like what happened to me when I came into contact with the Ancient ascension machine," he said. "The Ancients never put the machine to use, but the Teran must have made several modifications to it, allowing for more-or-less practical use. It didn't work as they'd hoped, of course," McKay added quickly, seeing the look of argument on Sheppard's face.

"No kidding; I'd go with 'less practical'."

"The radiation must've triggered a series of genetic mutations meant to bring the Elves closer to ascension, but Sanre physiology is vastly different from that of the Teran, on whom the Elves were modeled after."

"Sir," Marks called over the radio, "we've arrived." Sighing, Caldwell turned away from the group.

"Maintain safe orbit; I'm on my way to the bridge."

"Yes, sir." Turning back to McKay, Caldwell asked whether the scientist could collapse the jamming field again. McKay hesitated, but nodded. Satisfied, the colonel gave the order for both Sanre to be taken to the cargo bay before heading back to the bridge.

The corridors by the cargo bay were bustling with activity as the medical team hurried to and from the infirmary, preparing the Sanre for the trip to the planet in the hastily-repaired jumper. Sheppard was impatient to get back to the planet, and as soon as McKay confirmed the jamming field was collapsed and Caldwell gave the order, the jumper shot out of the bay and dove nose-first toward the planet, with Sheppard trying to establish contact with the Teran all the way down. Like the first time they came to Valinor, McKay's anti-jamming broadcast was not completely successful, but Sheppard was ready and managed to land the jumper without incident.

"I just hope we can still find the Teran," McKay muttered as Sheppard lowered the rear hatch and the team stepped out. He needn't have worried, for the Teran were waiting for them.

"Dr. Beckett believes that incremental decreases in exposure could help them recover," Caldwell said to the screen before him, on which Weir's face was displayed. In the excitement over the Affliction and the lockdown, Caldwell had wished aloud to communicate their situation to the Atlantis expedition leader, who was still awaiting their return. Hermiod had then matter-of-factly informed Caldwell that the _Iprene_ was perfectly capable of holding interstellar communication channels, surprising the colonel. They had calibrated the computer immediately after that to contact Atlantis, and so far, Caldwell was very impressed with the results. Aside from a short time lag, the channel was very efficient.

"Good luck; come home safely," Weir replied, still somewhat overwhelmed at the idea that the _Iprene_ could communicate from such a far distance. But she was relieved to know that now, they could check in regularly.

"You knew what the light was doing to them!" McKay accused, staring at Ulmo, who had met them at the jumper and had taken them again to the Hall of Mandos – the place where Mandos had first used the hand device on Sheppard. The colonel frowned and looked between the physicist and Ulmo.

"What did it do?" Sheppard asked slowly, shifting his hand to cover his side arm. Ulmo knew, from the determined looks on the team's faces that he had to reveal the truth. Manwë was the only one who had been so against the Lanteans, and the Valar had followed him out of respect –and fear of the unknown.

The Valar created many races in their efforts to achieve what they deemed genetic perfection, but blessed the Edhel above all else, believing them to be truly enlightened. The Valar's happiness did not last long, however, when they discovered that the Edhel still lacked immortality. The Teran Aulë, in his brilliance, created the great lamps, Illuin and Ormal, which blanketed the land in warmth, light, and radiation. When the first lamps were destroyed years later in a war, Aulë created Amanil.

"It is never harmful; I assure you, Dr. Beckett," Ulmo said. "It allowed our children to evolve as they lived here." The Teran hoped that the Edhel would someday be like them. Arda was terraformed for the Edhel, and the Teran posed as powerful, benevolent gods to their creations. When the Edhel reached the right age, the Teran brought them to Valinor.

"I don't believe it! We were right; it's an ascension machine!" McKay exclaimed.

"It is unfortunate that they could not adapt to the light," Mandos continued, taking over the explanation from Ulmo. "We allowed you to stay because we wished to observe them, for it has been a long time since our last encounter with those from our old life."

"You needed them, didn't you?" McKay asked suddenly, his eyes lighting up in sudden realization. His team mates looked at him. "Years of being subjected to the gene-altering radiation from the light has changed your own genetic make-up." Ulmo and Mandos stared back at him steadily.

"You can't use your own technology anymore!" McKay cried finally. Daniel frowned, considering McKay's outburst.

"Now that you mention it," he said finally, "it does seem odd that the Elves have so little technology now when they had been so historically powerful and when their gods were so advanced."

"Being subject to radiation for so long must have induced degenerative effects along with ascension-oriented mutations," Beckett added.

"It was not meant to work in such a way," Mandos said quickly, "but somehow, while our children are not affected, we began to experience…difficulties." Teran were eager to find out how the Sanre would react to the light, for Sanre, unlike Teran, _were_ naturally able to ascend. If Ghaea and Halen were able to acclimate to Amanil, then any children that would result from their alliances with Elves would take the Elves and the Teran one step closer to ascension. Teyla felt revulsion as she listened to Mandos relate all this in a stoic manner, as if the lives of Ghaea or Halen made no difference to him. Sheppard was disgusted as well, and made it clear that neither Ghaea or Halen, nor anyone on his team would be staying. Mandos, however, had other plans.

"You will see to it that they recover; and when they do, the Furlings shall make Valinor their home."


	18. Chapter 18

Legacy Left Behind

18

McKay, working reluctantly with Manwë on Sheppard's and Caldwell's orders, managed to clean up much of Amanil's operating systems, separating the "ascension machine" with the jamming field generator so that disengaging one will not affect the other. Teyla helped Daniel to translate the Teran texts, piecing together bit by bit of the Teran's history before and after coming to Valinor, while Ronon stayed close to Beckett, gun at the ready, helping the doctor monitor the Sanre, who, upon arrival in Valinor, had miraculously woken up.

"You're not seriously considering Manwë's demands?" Beckett demanded, as soon as the team was assembled at the jumper. He, along with the rest of the team, was astonished when Sheppard had nonchalantly told Manwë that, as long as Ghaea and Halen agreed, it was fine with him if they stay.

"Of course not," Sheppard replied, eyeing McKay and Teyla's expressions of reproof. "But they would never have let us stay if we didn't at least agree to something. All I said was that we let them decide. They're smart; they'll think of something." Daniel was not completely convinced, but he agreed that it was the only way to get the treatment the Sanre needed.

Halen and Ghaea spent each day on the planet surface. At midday, Beckett administered sedatives to both of them, and by late afternoon, both were unconscious and beamed aboard the _Iprene_ to spend the night away from Amanil. The sedative made it less dangerous for the Sanre to spend time away from the light, but it still took all of Halen and Ghaea's will to bear the force of the addiction. By the end of the week, their bodies were well enough to completely take over the task of rebuilding their DNA, and soon, it was as if nothing had happened and neither Sanre could remember much of the ordeal.

The Teran seemed relieved at the recovery, but still were not pleased with their presence. Mandos had not forgotten about the deal he had made with Sheppard, and spoke to Ghaea and Halen himself as soon as they had recovered. When the two Sanre left the hall of the Valar, they were solemn, but informed Sheppard that they would _all_ be going home. Halen did not reveal to the team what had transpired between them and Mandos, but the grumpy Teran had seemingly accepted their final resolution - albeit reluctantly.

When the team readied to depart, Ulmo was the only one to see them off - standing upon a hill in the distance. Daniel, though somewhat repulsed by the Teran's ways, still was able to understand some of their motivations, and raised a hand in acknowledgement. Ulmo did not respond.

"We hope to see you again, soon," Haldir said, mostly to Ghaea. She smiled back, but made no more comments about the topic. Halen answered for her. It was possible that they would meet again, he thought.

"Well, thanks," Sheppard said slowly to the small group of Elves who had met the jumper at the gates of the Teran city. Ronon and Teyla merely nodded, Teyla more kindly, and McKay mumbled his goodbyes, eager to leave the planet. During his time spent working with Manwë, he discovered that the Teran were mightily conceited, and now wished to get away from them as fast as possible.

The jumper soon took off, and as soon as it cleared the atmosphere, the shield was activated, turned on again from the surface, no doubt by Manwë.

"Let's go home," Caldwell said, when Sheppard's team returned to the ship.

"Yes, sir," Sheppard replied, relieved that this time that they really would be going home.

1


End file.
